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TUFTS   UNIVERSITY    LIBRARIES 


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JOHNA.SEAVERNS 


MODERN    HORSEMANSHIP 


th: 


Modern   Horsemanship 


THREE  SCHOOLS  OF  RIDING 


An  Original  Method  of  Teaching  the  Art 


B  Y  MEANS  OF 


Pictures  from  the   Life 


By   EDWARD    L.   ANDERSON 


ILLUSTRATED   BY  40   MOMENT-PHOTOGRAPHS 


A    NEW    EDITION.    RE-WRITTEN    AND    RE-ARRANGED 

NEW   YORK:    G.   P.  PUTNAM'S   SONS 

EDINBURGH: DAVID  DOUGLAS 

MDCCCLXXXIX 


All  rii^hU  icsei-i'ic/ 


^v  «.\  I  >_J 


y^hf 


THIS  WORK 


IS    DEDICATED    TO 


THOMAS  GIBSON    BOWLES 


BY  HIS  FRIEND 


THE  AUTHOR 


PREFACE 

I  HAVE  re-written  and  re-arranged  Modern  Horse- 
manship for  several  reasons.  In  the  first  place, 
I  wished  to  introduce  new  matter ;  then  I  de- 
sired to  be  more  clear  and  explicit  upon  certain 
points  than  was  the  case  in  former  editions ;  and, 
finally,  by  dividing  the  work  into  three  parts  I 
could  better  indicate  how  far  the  method  should 
be  followed  for  certain  objects. 

As  the  work  now  stands.  Part  I.  contains  all 
that  it  is  necessary  for  one  to  know  for  ordinary 
riding \  Part  II.  contains  a  method  for  the 
thorough  training  of  saddle-horses  ;  and  Part  III. 
is  devoted  to  the  purely  ornamental  movements 
of  the  manege. 

I  have  formed  this  method  after  thirty  years' 
study  and  practice  of  Horsemanship  in  various 
countries.  I  have  taken  all  that  seemed  best 
from  the  systems  in  use  in  Continental  Europe, 
and  I  have  added  much  that  is  original ;  but 
there  is  nothing  in  this  work  that  is  inconsistent 
with  accepted  methods. 


VUl  PREFACE. 

Modern  Horsemanship  was  the  first  work  in 
any  language  in  which  Moment- Photography  was 
employed  to  explain  and  teach  a  physical  exercise. 
The  idea  of  using  the  camera  for  this  purpose 
occurred  to  me  upon  the  appearance  of  The  Horse 
ill  Motion  in  the  spring  of  1882.  In  the  autumn 
of  that  year  I  began  my  experiments  with  a 
'  quick-shutter '  (having  previously  prepared  a  set 
of  plates  showing  the  horse  and  rider  in  various 
still  positions),  and  in  July  of  the  following  year 
the  neofatives  for  the  first  edition  of  Modern 
Horsemanship  were  in  the  hands  of  the  Autotype 
Company  for  reproduction. 

The  Photographs. 

With  the  exception  of  one  figure,  that  of  an 
Arab  horse  ridden  by  Mr.  Oscar  Fritz  in  the 
gallop-change,  all  of  the  schooled  horses  repre- 
sented in  this  work  were  trained  by  the  Author, 
and  were  ridden  by  him  or  by  his  son.  In  ob- 
taining the  negatives  a  single  camera  was  em- 
ployed, and  there  was,  of  course,  much  difficulty 
in  catching  the  movements  at  the  exact  moment. 
This  difficulty  was  particularly  present  in  photo- 
graphing the  gallop-change,  and  out  of  nearly 
two    hundred   experiments    I    obtained   only  some 


PREFACE.  IX 

half-dozen  negatives  in  which  the  horse  is  shown 
in  a  position  that  explains  the  movement,  and  but 
two  of  these  were  clear  enough  for  reproduction. 
At  my  request,  Mr.  Oscar  Fritz,  an  excellent 
horseman,  rode  his  bay  Arab  before  the  camera 
while  I  gave  the  signal  to  the  photographer  for 
the  exposure  of  the  plate.  In  this  manner  I 
obtained  the  line  example  that  I  have  retained. 
I  rode  'Coquette'  and  '  Silvana '  before  the 
camera  in  the  gallop-changes,  and  obtained  a  few 
negatives  in  which  the  movement  was  caught,  but 
none  of  them  proved  suitable  for  reproduction  by 
the  process  we  have  used. 

The  conditions  necessary  for  obtaining  good 
negatives  of  moving  horses  are  so  peculiar  that 
some  of  the  animals  I  had  carefully  trained  for 
the  purpose  never  appeared  before  the  camera, 
and  from  other  horses  I  never  procured  a  satis- 
factory negative.  During  the  preparation  of  this 
work  I  was  often  travellinsf  at  the  season  best 
suited  for  photographing,  and  I  did  not  always 
have  my  horses  at  hand  when  the  weather  was 
propitious.  The  pictures  of  'Alidor'  were  taken 
at  the  base  of  Castle  Hill,  In  Edinburgh  ;  those 
of  '  Coquette '  were  taken  in  Stuttgart ;  those  of 
'  Silvana '  w^ere  taken  In  Berlin,  and  upon  the 
fields  about  Dresden. 


X  PREFACE, 

The  photographs  of  '  AHdor,'  in  which  the 
Castle  of  Edinburgh  appears  in  tlie  background, 
were  taken  by  Mr.  Alexander  Nicol;  those  repre- 
senting '  Coquette '  galloping  about  a  lance,  and 
Mr.  Fritz  riding  the  gallop-change,  were  taken  by 
Mr.  Seligmliller,  of  Stuttgart ;  the  others  were 
taken  by  some  of  my  family. 

The  '  reproductions '  were  made  by  the  licJit- 
druck  process  of  Messrs.  Rommler  and  Jonas, 
Dresden. 

These  pictures  should  be  of  very  great  assist- 
ance to  the  reader,  as  they  show  the  horse  and 
the  rider  in  all  of  the  important  movements. 

If  the  beginner  takes  a  horse  that  is  already 
'  quiet  to  ride,'  he  should  have  no  difficulty  in 
brineine  it  to  a  hisfh  state  of  traininor.  When 
he  has  acquired  skill,  he  can  try  his  hand  upon 
young  horses ;  but  I  do  not  advise  the  amateur  to 
undertake  the  managrement  of  vicious  horses  :  for 
this  a  man  should  have  certain  rare  gifts  and 
many  years  of  experience  in  riding. 

September  1889. 


CONTENTS 


PART    I. 

THE  PRIMER. 


PAGE 


CHAP. 

I.— INTRODUCTORY, i 

The  Union  and  Balance  of  the  Forces. 


II._THE  SADDLE,         .....•» 
The  Bridle— To  Mount— The  Seat— Hands  and  Heels. 

HI.— RIDING  IN  THE  SNAFFLE,        ....  24 

The  Walk— The  Halt— Changes  of  Direction— The 
Trot. 

IV.— RIDING  IN  THE  CURB-BIT,       .  .  .  .31 

The  Indirect  Indications  of  the  Reins— The  Walk— The 
Trot — In  Hand — Uniting  the  Horse — Gallop  and 
Gallop  Changes. 

v.— JUMPING,     .......  43 

VI.— DIFFICULT  HORSES,       .  .  .  •  •  49 


Xll  CONTENTS. 

PART    11. 

TRAINING:  THE  MIDDLE  SCHOOL  OF 
HORSEMANSHIP. 

CHAP.  PAGE 

I.— THE  RESULTS  OF  TRAINING,  .             .             .  6i 

II.— DISCIPLINE  AND  EXERCISE,  ...  68 

III.— RIDING  THE  YOUNG  HORSE,  ...  73 

IV.— SUPPLING  AND  COLLECTING,  ...  79 

v.— IN  THE  SNAFFLE,  .....  83 

Suppling  the  Forehand. 

VI.— IN  THE  SNAFFLE,  .....  87 

Suppling  the  Back  and  Haunches. 

VII.— RIDING  IN  THE  SNAFFLE,        ....  94 

The  Walk— The  Trot. 

VIII.— RIDING  IN  THE  SNAFFLE,       .  .  .  .102 

Shoulder-in — Travers — Kenvers. 

IX.— IN  THE  DOUBLE-REINED  BRIDLE,  .  .  .109 

'In  Hand'  in  Place  and  in  Action — 'The  Union' — 
'The  Poise,'  or  Half- Halt— The  Halt— The  Walk 
— The  Trot — Indirect  Indications  of  the  Curb 
Reins. 

X.— THE  GALLOP  AND  THE  GALLOP  CHANGES,    .    119 


CONTENTS.  XIU 

CHAP.  PAGE 

XL— ON  TWO  PATHS,  ......         131 

Low  Pirouettes  —  Movements  upon  Two  Paths — 
Wheels  and  Half- Wheels — Travers  and  Renvers 
— Reversed  Pirouettes. 

Xn.— IN  THE  GALLOP, i37 

Travers  and  Renvers —  Voltes  and  Deniivoltes — Wheels 
and  Half- Wheels — Turns — Pirouette-  Voltes. 

XHL— BACKING 142 

XIV.— LEAPING, H5 


PART    III. 

LA  HAUTE  EC  OLE:   THE  HIGH  SCHOOL  OF 
HORSEMANSHLP. 

ORNAMENTAL  MOVEMENTS,    .....         151 
The   Passage— The    Piaff— The   Spanish    March— The 
Spanish  Trot— The  Pesade— The  Croupade— The 
Bolotade — The  Capriole. 


LIST    OF    ILLUSTRATIONS 


i6 


17 


19 


INSTANTANEOUS  PHOTOGRAPHS. 

FIG.  I.  MOUNTING,      .  •  •  •  •  f^^^'^S P^^.^  ^5 

2.  MOUNTING  WITHOUT  STIRRUPS, 

3.  MOUNTING  WITHOUT  STIRRUPS, 

4.  DISMOUNTING,. 

5.  THE  SEAT,  •••••' 

6.  SUPPLING  THE  BODY,  •  •  •  • 

7.  GALLOP  ABOUT  A  LANCE,    .  •  •  ■  22 

8.  RIDING  AT  THE  RING,  ...-31 

9.  TAKING  THE  RING,      .  •  •  •  •  ^8 

10.  RIDING  AT  THE  RING,  The  Canter,         .  •  39 

11.  ROLLING  UP  A  RESTIVE  HORSE,  .  •  ■  54 
,2.     TAKING  A  SHY  HORSE  ALONG,     .            ■            ■  57 


XVI  LIST    OF    ILLUSTRATIONS. 

Fig.   13.  ELEVATION  OF  THE  HEAD,            .             .   facing  page  83 

14.  POSITION  OF  THE  HEAD,   ....  84 

15.  DROPPING  THE  HEAD,         ....  85 

16.  BENDING  THE  HEAD,  .            .            .            .          86 

17.  REVERSED  PIROUETTE,       ....  88 

18.  REVERSED  PIROUETTE,  Mounted,  .            .          89 

19.  CARRYING  HIND-LEGS  UNDER  THE  BODY,    .  90 

20.  CARRYING  HIND-LEGS  UNDER  THE  BODY,    .  91 

21.  LOW  PIROUETTE, 102 

22.  SHOULDER-IN,  .....         103 

23.  TRAVERS,  ......         105 

24.  RENVERS,  .             .             .             .             .             .107 

25.  OUT  OF  HAND,  .....         no 

26.  '  IN  HAND '  IN  WALK,  .             .             .             .Ill 

27.  CLOSELY  UNITED  IN  TROT,           .  .             .116 

28.  HALF-HALT  FROM  TROT,    .  .             .             .117 

29.  '  IN  HAND  '  IN  PLACE,          .  .             .             .118 

30.  THE  POISE, 119 


LIST    OF    ILLUSTRATIONS.  XVll 

Fig.  31.  GALLOP  CHANGE,       .             .             .              facing  page  125 

32.  BACKING,  ......         126 

33.  THREE-TEMPO  GALLOP  RIGHT,    .  .             .128 

34.  TRAVERS  GALLOP  RIGHT,  .  .             .             .137 

35.  HALF-WHEEL  IN  TRAVERS  GALLOP  RIGHT,  138 

36.  PIROUETTE-VOLTE,    .....         139 

37.  PASSAGE,  ......         155 

38.  SPANISH  TROT, 156 

39.  PIAFF,      .......         157 

40.  CURVET,  ......         161 


WOODCUTS. 


Page 
THE  SADDLE,         .......  9 

I.  The  Pommel.  2.  The  Cantel.  3.  The  Flnp.  4.  The 
Skirt.  5.  The  Pannel.  6.  The  Stirrup.  7.  The  Stirrup- 
Leather. 

THE  BIT,      ........  12 

I.  Upper  Arm  of  Curb  Bit.  2.  Branches  of  Curb  Bit. 
3.  Port.     4.   Curb  Chain  Hook. 


XVUl  LIST    OF    ILLUSTRATIONS. 

Page 

THE  CAVESSON, 12 

I.   The  Ring  for  the  Longe-Line.     2.  The  Side-Lines. 


THE  BRIDLE,  ....... 

I.  The  Curb  Bit.     2.   Curb  Chain.     3.   Lip  Strap.     4.   Curb 
Rein.     5.  Snaffle  Rein.     6.   Snaffle  Bit.     7.  Throat  Lash. 


THE  DIAGRAM  (Movements  upon  Two  Paths),         .       facing  106 


PART   L— THE    PRIMER. 

RIDING. 


MODERN    HORSEMANSHIP. 

PART    I.— THE   PRIMER. 
RIDING. 


CHAPTER   I.—INTR  OD  UCTOR  Y. 

THE  UNION  AND  BALANCE  OF  THE  FORCES. 

The  general  principles  of  horsemanship  must  be 
understood  before  one  can  hope  to  attain  any  skill 
in  riding.  Simple  as  these  are,  it  is  not  probable 
that  a  knowledge  of  them  would  be  acquired  with- 
out instruction  of  some  kind,  for  they  have  been 
formulated  only  after  ages  of  carefully  conducted 
experiments,  and  their  value  depends  as  much  upon 
what  is  avoided  as  upon  what  is  attempted.  The 
self-tauorht  rider  mio-ht  discover  certain  effects  of 
the  aids,  but  he  would  be  certain  to  have  faults 
that  would  prevent  him  reaching  anything  like 
excellence.  The  thorough  horseman  knows  exactly 
what  to  do  under  all  circumstances,  how  to  cultivate 

A 


2  MODERN  HORSEMANSHIP. 

the  instinctive  muscular  actions  of  the  horse  until 
the  animal  is  obedient  to  every  demand  of  bit  or 
spur,  and  how  to  avoid  inviting  resistances  from  a 
horse  that  has  not  yet  been  disciplined.  His  seat 
is  the  strongest  that  can  be  acquired,  while  at  the 
same  time  he  has  free  use  of  his  arms  and  his  legs 
in  applying  the  aids.  By  giving  his  horse  an  arti- 
ficial carriage,  the  animal  is  able  to  move  under  its 
burthen  in  free,  regular,  and  smooth  paces,  and  it  is 
never  placed  in  such  a  position  that  obedience  is 
difficult  or  impossible,  as  is  often  the  case  with  a 
horse  badly  ridden.  It  will  be  seen,  therefore,  that 
the  first  thing  a  rider  should  know  is  how  to  control 
the  weights  and  forces  of  his  horse,  and  then  to 
determine  how  he  shall  dispose  of  these  weights 
and  forces  to  produce  that  union  and  balance  so 
necessary  for  perfect  movements.  There  are, 
no  doubt,  men  who  ride  well  who  have  never 
heard  the  term,  '  union  and  balance  of  the  forces,' 
but  nevertheless  they  have  practised  something 
that  produced  it  to  a  certain  degree ;  for  until  it 
is  collected  the  horse  cannot  go  smoothly  and  well 
under  its  rider.  In  the  second  part  of  this 
work  I  have  treated  this  subject  at  length,  but  I 
must  here  say  a  few  words  about  it,  in  order  that 
the  reader  may  at  the  outset  know  enough  of  the 
different  forms  of  collection  for  ordinary  riding. 


THE  PRIMER.  3 

A  horse  at  liberty  may  move  with  grace  and 
lightness  ;  but  when  it  is  biirthened  with"  a  rider,  is 
checked  by  the  reins,  and  incited  by  the  spurs,  it 
will  be  awkward  and  heavy  in  its  motions  unless 
it  be  taught  a  carriage  that  conforms  to  the  new 
order  of  things.  The  weights  and  forces  of  the 
extremities  must  be  brought  to  a  point  of  union 
and  balance  under  the  rider,  so  that  neither  the 
forehand  nor  the  croup  shall  bear  an  undue  share 
of  the  weight,  and  so  that  the  fore-legs  and  the 
hind-legs  may  move  in  unison.  If  the  forehand 
has  more  than  its  share  of  the  weight,  that  part 
will  be  impeded ;  if  the  croup  has  more  than  its 
share  of  the  weight,  the  hind-quarters  will  be 
hampered.  If  the  horse  be  not  united,  the  fore- 
legs and  the  hind-legs  cannot  step  in  unison,  and 
the  impulses  from  the  latter  do  not  have  their 
full  effects.  Upon  a  disunited  horse  the  rein 
might  influence  the  forehand  without  giving  any 
indication  to  the  croup ;  or  the  spurs  might  incite 
action  from  the  hind-quarters,  while  the  forehand 
would  be  unprepared ;  so  that  any  unison  of 
action  between  the  extremities  could  not  be  relied 
on.  But  when  the  forces  of  the  extremities  are 
brought  to  a  point  of  union  and  balance  under 
the  rider,  any  application  of  either  aid  is  felt  at 
once   by    the   mass,  just  as  in    a  chain,  when  the 


4  MODERN  HORSEMANSHIP. 

links  are  pressed  upon  each  other,  a  touch  in  any 
part  affects  the  whole. 

The  rider's  hand  can  restrain,  elevate,  or  depress 
the    forehand.     The    rider's   heels   can   bring   the 
hind-quarters    up    to    the    point  where    they   have 
the   greatest    impulsive  power,    or    beyond    it    so 
that  the  croup  will  be  depressed.      It  is  therefore 
in  the    power   of  the    rider    to    so    arrange    the 
forces    of    the     extremities     that    they    shall     be 
balanced.     If  perfect    equilibrium    be    established 
between  the  forces    of  the  extremities,    there  will 
be  no  motion,  but  the  rider  will  permit  the  forces 
of  the  croup  or  of  the  forehand  to  have  just  such 
preponderance  as  the  direction  and  rate  of  speed 
demands.     For   instance,    if   the   horse   be   united 
at  a  halt,  and  it  be  desired  to  proceed  slowly,  the 
heels    would     demand    impulse     from    the    croup 
while  the    hand  released    the  forehand  sufficiently 
to    let    the    forces    of   the    hind-quarters  send    the 
mass  forward  in  the  walk.     Or,  if  the  rider  wished 
to  make  the  horse  go  back,  the  forces  of  the  fore- 
hand   would    be    carried     to    the    rear,  while    the 
rider's  heels  permitted  the    hind-quarters    to    give 
way  just   so   far    as   would    be    required    for    the 
desired    motion.      It   will    be    understood    that   to 
demand    this    balance    of   the    forces    of  which    I 
speak    the    forces   must    be  kept   level    as  well  as 


THE  PRIMER.  5 

of  equal  strength.  So  when  the  rider  wishes  to 
fix  either  of  the  extremities — say  for  a  pirouette 
or  for  any  other  purpose — that  part  will  be 
depressed,  and  the  forces  of  the  other  extremity 
will  be  given  more  power. 

In  the  rapid  gallop,  the  forces  are  so  shifted 
at  each  stride  that  nothing  like  equilibrium  can 
be  maintained ;  equilibrium  means  rest,  and  the 
greater  the  speed,  the  greater  the  disturbance 
of  the  balance  of  forces.  But  in  high  rates  of 
speed  the  vigour  of  action  and  the  momentum 
prevent  those  disorders  in  action  that  result  from 
a  want  of  collection  in  the  slower  paces.  In  the 
rapid  trot  a  certain  balance  must  be  observed, 
for  if  the  weights  are  thrown  too  far  forward, 
the  forehand  will  be  impeded,  and  the  fore-legs 
cannot  act  with  their  diagonally  disposed  hind- 
legs,  and  the  horse  will  break  into  the  gallop. 
A  horse  that  has  been  suppled  and  collected 
will  always  be  more  obedient  than  one  which 
has  not  been  so  disciplined,  and  in  a  trained 
horse  the  necessary  state  of  union  can  be  easily 
re-established  after  rapid  paces  as  the  rate  of 
speed  is  reduced. 

We  must  recognise  three  forms  of  the  union  and 
balance  of  the  forces.  First,  '  In  Hand,'  which  is 
the  lowest  form  of  collection  consistent  with  free, 


6  MODERN  HORSEMANSHIP. 

smooth,  regular,  and  exactly  controlled  action ; 
secondly,  *  The  Union,'  the  highest  form  of  col- 
lection that  permits  motion ;  and,  thirdly,  '  The 
Poise,'  where  the  forces  are  so  balanced  that  no 
movement  takes  place. 

For  ordinary  riding,  in  the  walk,  in  the  mode- 
rate trot,  and  in  the  slower  gallops,  the  horse 
should  habitually  be  kept  '  in  hand.' 

In  making  changes  of  direction,  particularly  In 
short  turns,  or  in  demanding  very  brilliant  action, 
the  horse  should  be  brought  to  'the  union.' 

To  bring  the  horse  to  the  Jialf-halt,  for  pirou- 
ettes from  action,  etc.,  'the  poise'  should  be 
effected. 

The  reader  will,  then,  understand  that  he  must 
control  the  horse  by  the  united  action  of  hand  and 
heels.  The  reins  will  act  In  restraining  and  placing 
the  forces  of  the  forehand,  and  in  directing  the 
movements.  The  heels  will  act  in  inciting  the 
Impulses  of  the  hind-quarters,  in  governing  the 
movements  of  the  croup,  and  In  sending  the  forces 
up  to  the  hand.  The  weights  and  forces  of  the 
extremities  must  be  united  and  balanced  under 
the  rider,  so  that  the  effects  of  the  aids  will  be 
felt  by  the  mass,  and  so  that  the  horse  will  be 
ready  to  obey  every  demand  of  Its  rider  In 
smooth,    even,   and    regular    movements.       These 


THE  PRIMER.  7 

are  the  general  principles  of  Horsemanship ;  and 
without  a  knowledge  of  them  the  rider  must  not 
expect  to  manage  his  horse  with  anything  re- 
sembling precision  and  certainty. 

Note. — When,  in  any  of  these  pages,  the  spur  is  mentioned 
it  must  be  understood  to  mean  such  a  form  of  the  leg 
aid  as  the  circumstances  require, — the  sharp  rowel,  the 
side  of  the  heel,  or  the  pressure  of  the  rider's  calf — 
depending  upon  the  vivacity  and  obedience  of  the 
horse  and  the  vigour  of  movement  to  be  demanded. 
In  a  well-trained  horse  the  rider  rarely  requires  to 
give  a  stronger  indication  than  the  pressure  of  the 
lower  part  of  the  leg,  and  often  nothing  more  than 
the  slight  shifting  of  his  weight  in  connection  with 
a  hint  from  the  hand.  But  as  it  would  be  impossible 
to  lay  down  rules  for  the  form  of  the  aid  under  all 
circumstances,  the  word  'spur'  is  usually  employed 
to  indicate  when  the  proper  form  of  that  aid  should 
be  applied. 


MODERN  HORSEMANSHIP. 


CHAPTER  II.— THE  SADDLE. 

THE  BRIDLE— TO  MOUNT— THE  SEAT— HANDS 
AND  HEELS. 

A  SADDLE  of  the  English  pattern,  that  will  bring 
the  rider  as  close  as  possible  to  the  back  of  the 
horse,  is  the  best  for  general  purposes.  The 
'grip'  should  be  narrow  enough  to  permit  the 
rider's  thighs  to  take  contact  with  the  saddle 
while  the  body  of  the  horse  is  grasped  by  his 
knees.  The  '  dip,'  or  lowest  part  of  the  seat, 
should  be  very  slight,  so  that  the  pommel  and 
cantel  may  be  low,  and  this  '  dip '  must  be 
arranged  by  the  saddler  to  suit  the  conforma- 
tion of  the  rider.  If  the  'dip'  be  too  far 
forward,  or  too  far  to  the  rear,  the  rider  will 
not  be  able  to  maintain  an  upright  position 
without  fatioruinof  exertions.  For  men  of  ordi- 
nary  size,  and  below  that  standard,  the  steeple- 
chase tree  will  be  found  suitable,  as  the  trees 
of  hunting  and  hackney  saddles  are  almost  in- 
variably too  broad.  The  tree  should  be  fitted 
to  the  horse  before  being  covered,  and  the  pannel 


THE  PRIMER.  9 

should  be  thin.  I  often  use  a  felt  numnah  in 
place  of  a  fixed  pannel ;  but,  on  the  whole,  I 
think  a  slight  pannel  with  an  open  channel  over 
the    horse's    spine    the    best    arrangement.      The 

2 


The  Saddle.  — I.  The  Pommel.     2.   The  Caiitel.     3.  The  Flap.     4.  The  Skirt. 
5.  The  Pannel.     6.  The  Stirrup.     7.  The  Stirrup-Leather. 

saddle  should  be  long  enough  to  give  the  rider 
an  easy  seat,  but  it  is  better  to  have  the  tree 
too  lono^  than  too  short. 


lO  MODERN  HORSEMANSHIP. 

There  are  no  trees  that  compare  with  those 
made  in  England,  but  in  nearly  every  large  city 
one  can  have  a  saddle  fairly  well  made  if  the 
tree  is  a  good  one  and  fits  the  horse.  It  is  a 
great  mistake  to  undertake  to  correct  the  faults 
of  a  tree  by  the  stuffing  of  the  pannel ;  the  tree 
must  fit,  and  then  it  would  be  a  blundering 
workman  who  could  not  turn  out  a  satisfactory 
saddle.  A  man  may  buy  a  ready-made  coat  if 
he  please,  but  he  has  no  right  to  put  a  ready- 
made  saddle  on  a  horse ;  for  in  the  latter  case 
it  is  not  a  question  of  appearances  but  of  com- 
fort. There  is  no  reason  why  even  the  beginner 
should  place  himself  entirely  in  the  hands  of 
the  saddler.  It  is  very  easy  to  tell  whether  a 
tree  fits  the  horse  or  where  the  faults  lie.  The 
withers  and  the  spine  should  be  free  from 
pressure,  the  points  of  the  tree  should  lie  lightly 
against  the  sides  of  the  shoulders  (neither  pinch- 
ing nor  standing  away  from  them),  and  there 
should  be  a  level  bearinsf  alono^  both  sides  of 
the  spine.  Because  the  tree  does  not  fit  at  first 
it  need  not  necessarily  be  discarded,  for  great 
changes  can  be  made  in  the  shape  of  the  tree ; 
but  it  is  better  to  find  a  tree  that  without 
changes  fits  perfectly,  or  nearly  so,  and  in  the 
latter   case   correct  the    defects    in  the   tree  itself 


THE  PRIMER.  I  I 

Of  course,  I  should  prefer  to  have  a  saddle 
from  one  of  the  three  or  four  London  saddlers 
with  deserved  reputations ;  but  it  is  not  always 
convenient  to  take  a  horse  to  London,  and  one 
can  ride  very  comfortably  in  a  provincial  or  a 
foreign  saddle  if  there  is  a  good  tree  for  a 
foundation.  I  am  now  speaking  of  cross-saddles 
only;  for  a  good  side-saddle  cannot  be  had  out 
of  London. 

The  stirrups  should  be  strongly  made  of  the 
best  steel  (one  must  not  risk  being  caught  by 
a  bent  iron),  and  large  enough  to  permit  the  foot 
to  have  play,  but  not  so  large  that  the  foot  may 
slip  all  the  way  through. 

The  double  bridle,  with  curb  bit  and  snaffle,  may 
not  be  a  perfect  arrangement,  but  it  is  the  best  that 
has  yet  been  devised  for  controlling  the  horse. 

With  the  snaffle,  the  rider  can  elevate,  depress, 
and  bend  the  head  of  the  horse ;  and  the  curb  bit 
insures  that  its  powers  shall  be  applied  to  the  bare 
bars  of  the  horse's  mouth  where  they  have  the 
greatest  effect.  There  should  never  be  tensions 
upon  the  reins  of  both  the  snaffle  and  the  curb  bit 
at  the  same  time.  When  there  is  a  tension  upon 
the  reins  of  one  bit,  the  other  should  not  be  in 
action.  For  example,  if  in  riding  with  the  curb  bit 
it  should    become  necessary  to  use  the  snaffle  to 


12 


MODERN  HORSEMANSHIP. 


The  Bit. 

1.  Upper  arm  of  curb  bit. 

2.  Branches  of  curb  bit. 

3.  Port. 

4.  Curb  chain  hook. 

The  Cavesson. 

1.  The  ring  for  the  longe-line. 

2.  The  side-lines. 


The  Bridle. 

1.  The  curb  bit. 

2.  Curb  chain. 

3.  Lip  strap. 

4.  Curb  rein. 

5.  Snaffle  rein. 

6.  Snaffle  bit. 

7.  Throat  lash. 


THE  PRIMER. 


elevate  the  head  of  the  horse,  the  tension  upon  the 
curb  reins  should  for  the  moment  be  relaxed  and  the 
snaffle  reins  be  brought  into  play,  and  when  these 
have  effected  their  object  the  tension  upon  the  curb 
reins  may  be  resumed. 

The  curb  bit  is  desiorned  to  act  as  a  lever  of  the 
second  class.  The  curb  chain,  passing  from  the 
upper  arms  under  the  chin,  gives  to  the  upper 
ends  of  the  branches  a  fulcrum  ;  the  power  is  applied 
through  the  reins  to  the  lower  branches  of  the  bit, 
and  the  weight  or  effect  is  felt  upon  the  bars  of  the 
horse's  lower  jaw.  With  such  loosely  fitting  bear- 
ings upon  the  yielding  head  of  the  horse  as  is 
afforded  by  the  leather  head-stall,  it  is  impossible  to 
secure  all  the  powers  of  the  lever,  or  to  give  accu- 
rately the  proportions.  There  are  cleverly  con- 
trived instruments  for  obtaining  the  measurements 
for  the  curb  bit,  and  every  horse  should,  if  possible, 
be  fitted  with  the  bit  that  best  suits  it.  Generally 
speaking,  the  upper  arms  of  the  bit,  from  the  centre 
of  the  mouth-piece  to  the  point  where  the  curb  chain 
takes  its  bearing,  should  be  from  one  and  three- 
quarters  to  one  and  seven-eighths  inches,  depending 
upon  the  depth  of  the  jaw.  The  branches  should 
be  long  or  short  as  the  rider  requires  a  severe  or  a 
mild  bit.  The  curb  chain  should  lie  smoothly  and 
snugly  in  the  chin  groove,  and    this    should  be   a 


14  MODERN  HORSEMANSHIP. 

fixed  factor,  to  be  neither  loosened  nor  tightened  in 
changing  the  powers  of  the  bit,  those  changes  being 
made,  as  I  have  said,  in  the  length  of  the  branches. 
If  the  branches  be  four  and  a  half  inches  long-  the 
bit  will  be  powerful  enough  to  teach  the  horse  to 
yield  the  jaw,  and  yet  not  too  severe  for  ordinary 
ridinof. 

The  mouth-piece  should  have  a  '  port '  or  liberty 
for  the  tongue,  of  such  a  size  that  the  cannons  or 
side  pieces  can  come  down  upon  the  bars  of  the 
lower  jaw  ;  and  its  size  will  depend  upon  the  thick- 
ness of  the  horse's  tongue.  Experiments  will  show 
what  this  '  port '  should  be. 

In  arranging  the  bits,  the  snaffle  should  lie  well 
up  in  the  corners  of  the  mouth  ;  the  mouth-piece  of 
the  curb  bit  should  fall  upon  the  bare  bars  of  the 
lower  jaw,  and  in  such  a  manner  that  the  curb  chain 
fits  in  the  chin  groove. 

Ring  martingales,  and  standing  martingales  fitted 
to  the  snaffle,  should  be  avoided.  If,  before  a 
horse  is  properly  trained,  it  is  necessary  to  have 
something  that  will  prevent  the  animal  throwing 
up  its  head,  a  leather  strap  may  be  fastened  from 
the  girth  to  a  nose  band. 

Except  among  soldiers,  where  uniformity  of 
motions  is  required,  it  really  does  not  matter  very 
much  how  one  mounts  a  horse.     Objections  may 


THE  PRIMER.  I  5 

be  invented  against  any  suggested  method  ;  but  I 
prefer  the  following  manner  of  mounting  to  that 
which  is  usually  employed. 

Let  the  rider  stand  opposite  the  girth,  facing  the 
near  side  of  the  horse  :  holding  the  reins  in  his  right 
hand,  he  should  with  that  hand  take  a  grasp  of  the 
saddle  on  the  pommel ;  then  let  him  insert  the  left 
foot  in  the  stirrup  and  take  a  lock  of  the  mane  in 
the  left  hand  :  aided  by  the  grasps  upon  the  saddle 
and  the  mane,  he  should  rise  from  the  right  foot  and 
take  his  weight  upon  the  left  leg  straightened  in  the 
stirrup  ;  then  carry  the  right  leg  over  the  back  of 
the  horse,  and  sink  into  the  seat.  After  he  has 
gained  his  seat,  he  should  transfer  the  reins  to  the 
left  hand,  and  place  his  right  foot  in  the  stirrup. 
To  dismount,  the  rider  will  take  the  right  foot  out 
of  its  stirrup,  transfer  the  reins  to  the  right  hand, 
seize  the  mane  and  pommel  as  in  mounting,  take  a 
bearing  upon  the  left  stirrup,  carry  the  right  leg 
over  the  back  of  the  horse,  and,  supported  by  his 
hands,  gradually  let  himself  down  until  the  right 
foot  is  planted  upon  the  ground,  when  the  left  foot 
will  be  withdrawn  from  its  stirrup. 

A  young  or  restless  horse  can  be  readily  mounted, 
if  the  rider  has  the  assistance  of  an  attendant,  in  the 
following  manner.  The  rider  stands  opposite  the 
girths,  facing  the  near  side  of  the  horse,  his  right 


1 6  MODERN  HORSEMANSHIP. 

hand  upon  the  pommel,  his  left  hand  grasping  a 
lock  of  the  mane.  The  attendant,  opposite  the 
shoulder  of  the  horse,  holds  the  snaffle  reins  in  his 
left  hand  under  the  animal's  chin,  and  with  his 
riofht  hand  takes  hold  of  the  rider's  left  lee  near  the 
ankle.  Between  the  assistance  of  the  attendant  and 
his  own  efforts,  the  rider  rises  and  takes  his  weight 
upon  his  straightened  arms,  and  then  carries  his 
rioht  lepf  over  the  back  of  the  horse. 

But  a  rider  of  ordinary  strength  and  agility  should 
not  require  the  stirrup,  or  any  other  assistance,  in 
mounting,  for  there  is  really  no  great  difficulty  in 
vaulting  into  the  saddle.  To  mount  without  stirrups, 
the  rider  should  stand  facing  the  near  shoulder  of 
the  horse  :  with  the  left  hand  he  will  seize  a  lock 
of  the  mane,  half-way  between  the  withers  and  the 
ears ;  and  with  the  right  hand,  in  which  are  held 
the  reins,  he  will  grasp  the  pommel :  springing  from 
both  feet  he  will  take  his  weight  upon  the 
straightened  arms,  and  from  this  position  he  will 
carry  his  right  leg  over  the  back  of  the  horse,  and 
sink  gently  into  the  saddle.  In  this  manner  he  can 
mount  the  most  restless  horse,  for,  after  he  has 
taken  the  grasp  upon  the  mane  and  upon  the 
pommel,  the  horse  cannot  prevent  him  reaching  the 
saddle  ;  and  it  is  easier  to  mount  the  horse  by 
taking  advantage  of  its  motions  when  in  action  than 


1 


•^  /='', 


THE  PRIMER.  I  7 

from  a  halt.  In  mounting  the  moving  horse  in 
this  manner,  the  rider  should  be  careful  not  to 
spring  with  too  much  vigour,  or  to  throw  his 
body  too  much  over  the  horse,  as  the  movement 
of  the  animal  aids  him  in  rising,  and  the  more 
rapidly  the  animal  goes  the  less  of  a  spring  will 
be  required. 

To  dismount  without  stirrups,  the  rider  will  take 
the  holds  upon  the  mane  and  the  pommel,  as  in 
mounting ;  then,  leaning  forward,  he  will  take  his 
weight  upon  his  arms,  throw  the  right  leg  over  the 
back  of  the  horse,  and  gently  let  himself  down  to 
the  ground,  releasing  the  holds  upon  the  mane  and 
the  pommel  when  he  is  assured  of  his  footing.  To 
dismount  from  the  moving  horse,  he  will  reach  the 
ground  prepared  to  take  a  few  steps  in  the  direction 
the  horse  is  going,  just  as  he  would  leave  a  tram- 
car  in  motion.  In  dismounting  without  stirrups  it 
is  necessary  to  keep  the  reins  in  the  right  hand,  so 
that  there  may  be  no  danger  of  being  thrown 
under  the  feet  of  the  horse  in  the  effort  to  stop 
it,  as  might  happen  should  the  reins  be  held  in  the 
left  hand. 

The  rider  should  practise  mounting  and  dis- 
mounting upon  the  right  or  off  side  of  the  horse,  as 
well  as  upon  the  usual  side.     Some  men  who  have 

been   accustomed  to  ride  for   years   would    find  it 

c 


15  MODERN  HORSEMANSHIP. 

difficult  to  mount  upon  the  off  side  should  occasion 
require  it. 

It  is  of  the  highest  importance  that  the  rider 
should  secure  the  proper  seat,  for  unless  his  position 
upon  the  horse  be  easy  and  secure  he  cannot  have 
good  hands,  or  apply  his  legs  and  heels  in  aiding  his 
hands.  Every  man  has  one  seat  that  Is  the  best, 
and  any  deviation  from  this  is  to  his  disadvantage. 
To  secure  this  seat  the  rider  will  take  his  weight 
upon  his  buttocks,  holding  his  body  upright,  without 
rigidity,  and,  taking  every  possible  point  of  contact 
with  Xh^Jlat  inner  surfaces  of  the  knees  and  thighs, 
the  lower  parts  of  the  legs,  from  the  knees  down, 
hanging  free  and  naturally.  When  the  knees  are 
slightly  bent  there  will  be  found  flat  surfaces  upon 
the  inner  sides,  and  these  are  the  parts  with  which 
the  grasp  of  the  body  of  the  horse  should  be  made. 
This  will  insure  the  proper  position  of  the  body 
upon  the  horse  ;  for  if  the  knees  are  too  high,  it  will 
be  the  under  sides  of  the  thiorhs  that  will  take  the 

o 

bearings  in  the  saddle,  and  the  lower  parts  of  the 
legs  will  come  against  the  sides  of  the  horse  ;  if  the 
knees  are  too  low,  it  will  be  impossible  to  bring 
these  flat  inner  surfaces  ao-ainstthe  saddle.  In  this 
position  every  advantage  is  given  to  the  rider,  the 
weight  is  applied  perpendicularly,  the  greatest 
amounts  of  friction  and  of  grasp  are  given,  and  the 


'mm 


THE  PRIMER.  ^9 

upper  parts  of  the  body  and  the  lower  parts  of  the 
legs  are  free,  and  ready  to  maintain  the  balance  and 
to  employ  the  aids.    Under  no  circumstances  should 
this  seat  be  changed ;  when  it  becomes  necessary 
to  shift  the  weights,  and  to  lighten  either  side  of  the 
horse,  it  will  be  accomplished  by  a  very  slight  turn 
of  the    upper   part  of  the   body,  and  an  effort  of 
muscular  action  that  will  throw  the  weight  to  one 
side  or  the  other  without  the  grasp  of  the  knees 
being  relaxed.     In  ordinary  paces  on  straight  lines 
the  body  should  be  held  upright,  but  in  turning  and 
in  violent  motions  of  the  horse  the  upper  part  of 
the  body  must  change  its  position  to  secure  the 
equilibrium;    when    the    forehand   rises,    the   body 
should  be  bent  forward;  when  the  croup  rises  the 
body    should    be    bent    backward;    in    turning    to 
either  hand   the    shoulder  of  that  side  should  be 
retired,  and    the    body    be    carried    towards    the 
centre   of   the    turn,   the  extent  of   these   motions 
depending  upon   the   speed  and   shortness  of  the 

turns. 

I  do  not  think  that  riding  without  a  saddle  is  of 
any  great  benefit  to  the  pupil ;  but  after  one  has 
acquired  some  stability  in  the  saddle  with  the 
stirrups,  it  certainly  is  of  advantage  to  dispense 
with  the  stirrups  for  a  time,  as  such  exercise  will 
tend  to  give  ease  and  grace  to  the  rider,  and  will 


20  MODERN  HORSEMANSHIP. 

teach  him  to  depend  upon  balance  and  friction  in 
maintaining  his  place. 

It  will  be  excellent  practice  for  the  beginner  to 
use  a  few  gymnastic  exercises  from  the  position 
described  as  *  the  seat,'  such  as  leaning  forward 
until  his  rieht  or  left  shoulder  touches  the  crest  of 
the  horse,  leaning  backward  until  his  back  touches 
the  croup,  and  losing  and  regaining  his  seat  to 
either  side  without  assistance  from  his  hands. 

The  stirrups  should  suit  the  seat,  and  not  the 
seat  the  stirrups  :  to  obtain  the  proper  lengths  of 
the  stirrup  leathers  the  rider  will  take  the  position 
I  have  described  as  the  seat,  and,  bringing  the  soles 
of  his  feet  parallel  with  the  ground,  fix  the  irons  so 
that  the  ball  of  his  toes  will  be  supported  by  them. 
No  effort  need  be  made  to  keep  the  feet  parallel 
with  the  sides  of  the  horse,  for  when  the  seat  is 
right  the  feet  will  find  their  proper  position.  The 
rider  should  avoid  bearing  any  weight  in  the  stirrups, 
and  he  must  learn  not  to  stiffen  himself  against 
them  if  the  horse  makes  an  unexpected  movement, 
for  that  will  only  force  his  seat,  and  perhaps  be  the 
cause  of  an  accident.  Every  movement  he  makes 
should  be  purposely,  and  with  reason,  and  without 
haste  or  rigidity.^ 

^  In  observing  the  horsemanship  of  the  Bedouins  (referred  to  in  another 
place),    I    was   surprised   to   see   how    closely  their   position  on   horseback 


.^' 


THE  PRIMER.  2  I 

There  is  a  great  deal  of  misleading-  nonsense 
written  about  '  light '  hands,  for  on  some  occasions 
a  hand  too  light  may  be  as  bad  as  a  hand  too  heavy. 
Not  that  the  rider  should  use  a  particle  more  force 
than  the  occasion  requires,  btU good  hands  are  those 
that  do  the  7'ight  thing  at  the  right  time.  I  bring 
my  horses  so  that  they  can  be  managed  by  a 
thread,  and  I  always  try  to  control  the  animals  by 
gentle  vibrations  of  the  reins  ;  but  when  a  headstrong 
horse  tries  to  force  the  hand,  or  endeavours  to  get 
his  head  down  so  that  kicking  can  be  indulged 
in,  or  makes  an  effort  to  turn  about,  it  must  be 
promptly  met  and  checked.  If  the  rider  takes  a 
constant  pull  against  the  horse,  it  will  teach  the 
animal  to  pull  against  the  reins,  and  a  heavy  hand 
will  spoil  the  mouth  of  any  horse.  But  if  a  young 
or  undisciplined  horse  finds  that  it  can  take  liberties 
with  a  hand  that  is  not  ready  to  check  insubordi- 
nation, all  sorts  of  vices  are  sure  to  follow.  The 
light  touches  with  which  all  true  horsemen  endea- 
vour to  control  their  horses  come  as  a  reward  for 
good  behaviour  after  their  corrections,  which  must 


resembled  the  European  seat,  notwithstanding  the  cumbrous  and  high-placed 
saddle  of  the  East,  and  the  same  thing  struck  me  in  looking  at  the  photo- 
graphs of  mounted  Arabs  from  the  northern  coast  of  Africa  :  in  all  these  the 
grasp  was  from  the  thighs  to  the  knees  ;  the  lower  parts  of  the  legs  were 
about  perpendicular,  and  free  to  apply  the  sharp  point  of  the  stirrup  as  spurs, 
and  the  stirrup  leathers  were  but  little  shorter  than  is  customary  in  Europe — 
in  some  cases  no  shorter. 


2  2  MODERN  HORSEMANSHIP. 

always  be  given  by  the  snaffle ;  and  In  time  the 
horse,  after  its  suppling  lessons,  learns  that  it  is  best 
to  obey  the  slightest  hint  from  the  hand.  I  do  not 
wish  the  rider  to  think  that  he  is  to  make  a  severe 
use  of  the  bit,  or  that  it  is  well  to  pull  about  the 
mouth  of  the  animal,  but  he  must  be  prepared  to 
employ  such  force  as  is  absolutely  necessary  to 
obtain  the  desired  results,  and  he  must  bear  in  mind 
that  a  weak,  unready  hand  has  its  faults  as  well  as 
one  that  is  too  heavy.  When  the  horse  has  been 
suppled  and  brought  to  a  state  of  perfect  discipline, 
it  should  be  ridden  in  the  curb  bit,  and  this  severe 
instrument  must  be  used  with  care  and  caution,  the 
tensions  upon  the  curb  reins  should  never  be  made 
roughly  or  abruptly,  and  the  rider's  hand  should  be 
as  elastic  and  delicate  as  he  expects  to  make  the 
horse's  mouth  elastic  and  delicate. 

The  hand  cannot  do  much  without  the  help  of 
the  heels.  We  may  say  that  riding  depends  upon 
the  heels  bringing  up  impulses  to  be  disposed  by 
the  hand.  If  there  is  a  lack  of  impulse  from  the 
hind-quarters,  the  hand  has  no  power  to  direct.  Or 
the  forehand  may  be  impeded  by  the  too  vigorous 
action  of  the  croup,  and  then  the  heels  must  carry 
the  hind-legs  further  under  the  mass,  so  that  the 
forehand  can  be  elevated  and  the  balance  between 
the  extremities  be  established.     Action  cannot  be 


GALLOP    ABOUT   A    LANCE. 


THE  PRIMER.  23 

begun,  be  maintained,  or  be  stopped  properly  with- 
out the  aid  of  the  heels.  For  the  first  two,  the 
impulses  from  the  hind-quarters  must  be  demanded  ; 
and  to  bring  the  horse  to  a  halt  the  forces  of  the 
croup  must  be  held  ready  to  balance  the  forces  of  the 
forehand,  as  the  latter  are  carried  back  by  the  hand, 
or  the  horse  may  go  to  the  rear  instead  of  simply 
coming  to  a  stop.  Whenever  the  hand  acts  in 
any  way,  the  horse  must  be  prepared  by  the  riders 
legs  for  the  effects  of  the  bit.  These  things  will  be 
further  explained  as  we  treat  the  various  paces 
and  movements. 

Note. — Referring  to  the  paragraphs  in  this  chapter  regard- 
ing the  seat,  I  wish  to  call  the  attention  of  the  reader 
to  the  importance  of  acquiring  a  position  upon  the 
horse  that  shall  be  strong  through  its  ease  and  the 
pliancy  of  his  body  ;  for  no  matter  how  firmly  he  grasps 
the  horse  between  his  thighs,  his  seat  will  not  be  secure 
if  there  be  any  rigidity  in  any  part.  The  practice  of 
riding  without  stirrups  should  not  be  carried  too  far, 
lest  the  rider  find  the  stirrups  a  constraint  when  he 
resumes  them.  After  the  rider  has  a  fairly  good  seat 
he  should  practise  riding  without  reins,  in  the  walk, 
in  the  trot,  and  in  the  gallop,  laying  the  knotted  reins 
upon  the  neck  of  the  horse,  so  that  they  may  be  used 
when  necessary  to  control  or  to  direct  the  animal ;  for 
until  the  rider  has  a  seat  that  is  quite  independent  of 
any  support  from  the  reins  he  is  a  very  bad  horseman. 


24  MODERN  HORSEMANSHIP. 


CHAPTER   III.— RIDING  IN  THE  SNAFFIE. 

THE  WALK— THE  HALT— CHANGES  OF  DLKECTLON— 
THE  TROT. 

The  beginner  should  use  the  snaffle  reins  only,  and 
he  should  take  one  in  each  hand,  held  at  equal 
lengths,  so  that  his  seat  and  shoulders  will  be  square. 
The  rein  should  be  grasped  by  the  whole  hand,  the 
loose  end  coming  out  past  the  forefinger  and  held 
against  it  by  the  thumb,  the  hands  held  just  above 
the  pommel  of  the  saddle,  the  nails  downward,  and 
the  thumbs  pointing  forwards,  and  the  reins  with 
such  lengths  that,  with  the  head  of  the  horse  in  a 
natural  position — i.e.  neither  poking  down  towards 
the  ground  nor  raised  skywards — he  can  just  feel 
the  mouth.  To  start  the  horse  into  a  walk,  the 
rider  will  quietly  close  his  legs  against  the  sides  of 
the  horse,  and  draw  the  reins  very  gently  towards 
his  body  :  when  he  feels  the  impulse  from  the  croup, 
he  should  release  the  tensions  upon  the  reins  suf- 
ficiently to  let  the  horse  advance  quietly,  and  then 
find  with  what  tensions  the  horse  moves  freely  and 
steadily  after  he  has  released  the  pressure  of  his 


THE  PRIMER.  25 

legs.  If  the  horse  is  constrained  in  its  movements, 
or  comes  to  a  halt,  he  is  probably  bearing  too 
heavily  upon  his  reins  ;  if  the  horse  goes  unsteadily, 
or  carries  its  head  too  low,  he  must  close  his  legs 
against  the  horse's  sides,  and  shorten  his  reins. 
Whenever  there  is  an  increased  tension  upon  the 
reins  the  horse  must  be  prepared  for  it  by  the  rider's 
legs,  so  that  the  hand  will  not  act  more  strongly  than 
is  desirable :  and  the  pressure  of  the  rider's  legs 
against  the  sides  of  the  horse  will  be  released  when- 
ever there  is  no  necessity  for  stimulating  the  im- 
pulses from  the  hind-quarters.  That  is,  if  the 
horse  be  moving  freely  and  smoothly,  there  is  no 
necessity  for  the  rider's  legs  to  demand  greater 
impulses  ;  but  if  the  animal  shows  an  inclination  to 
move  sluggishly  or  to  stop,  the  rider's  legs  must  be 
ready  to  keep  up  the  movement ;  and  when  the  rider 
wishes  to  come  to  a  halt,  he  must  first  close  his  legs 
against  the  sides  of  the  horse,  and  then  draw  the 
reins,  first  releasing  the  tension  upon  the  reins 
when  the  horse  has  come  to  a  halt,  and  then  the 
pressure  of  his  legs,  or  the  horse  may  begin  to  back 
after  it  comes  to  a  stop.  To  resume  the  walk,  the 
legs  will  be  closed  against  the  sides  of  the  horse,  the 
impulses  from  the  croup  will  be  met  by  the  hand, 
and  the  latter  will  then  give  the  animal  liberty  to 
proceed  at  a  walk,  when  the  legs  may  be  withdrawn 

D 


26  MODERN  HORSEMANSHIP. 

from  the  sides.  In  starting  the  horse  from  a  halt, 
and  in  increasing  the  speed,  the  rider's  body  should 
lean  slightly  forward.  In  reducing  the  speed,  and 
in  bringing  the  horse  to  a  halt,  the  upper  part  of 
the  rider's  body  should  be  slightly  carried  back.  In 
turninor  to  either  hand  the  shoulder  of  that  side 
should  be  slightly  retired,  and  the  upper  part  of  the 
body  should  be  bent  towards  the  centre  of  the  circle 
on  which  the  turn  is  made,  the  extent  of  this  bend 
of  the  body  depending  upon  the  abruptness  of  the 
turn  and  the  rate  of  speed. 

In  chanaflno^  direction  to  the  riofht,  the  horse  will 
first  be  united  between  heels  and  hand,  the  right 
rein — its  effect  being  measured  and  controlled  by  the 
left — will  bend  the  head  of  the  horse  upon  the  new 
line,  and  the  outside,  or  left  heel,  will  have  a  slightly 
increased  pressure  to  keep  the  croup  upon  the  path 
followed  by  the  forehand.  When  the  new  direction 
has  been  entered  upon,  the  reins  and  the  heels  will 
put  and  keep  the  horse  straight,  the  horse  being 
then  given  the  same  liberty  of  action  with  which  it 
approached  the  turn.  The  change  of  direction  to 
the  left  will  be  made  in  a  similar  manner,  right  and 
left  aid  beinof  interchanged. 

The  horse  being  at  a  walk,  and  it  being  desired 
to  increase  the  speed  to  a  trot,  the  rider  should 
collect  the  animal  between  heels  and  hand  ;  then  by 


THE  PRIMER.  2/ 

increased  pressure  of  the  heels,  and  if  necessary  a  tap 
of  the  whip  delivered  behind  the  girths,  he  will  incite 
the  impulses  from  the  hind-quarters  while  the  hand 
gives  sufficient  liberty  to  advance  at  a  slow  trot,  the 
speed  to  be  maintained  or  gradually  increased  by 
the  action  of  the  aids.  The  rider's  legs  should  be 
ready  to  demand  the  impulses  from  the  hincl-quar- 
ters  if  the  horse  shows  any  disposition  to  hang 
back,  while  the  hand  will  meet  any  renewed  im- 
pulses, and,  by  accommodating  itself  to  them,  keep 
the  pace  even  and  free.  If  the  horse  carries  his 
head  too  low,  and  throws  too  much  weight  upon  the 
forehand  or  bears  upon  the  reins,  the  hand  should 
be  elevated,  and  the  heels  should  act  more  strongly, 
to  bring  the  hind-legs  of  the  horse  under  the  mass, 
until  the  animal  moves  smoothly  and  evenly.  If  the 
horse  carries  its  head  too  high,  and  moves  in  a  con- 
strained and  uneasy  manner,  the  hand  should  be 
lowered,  so  that  by  restoring  the  balance  the  fore- 
legs and  the  hind-legs  may  work  in  unison. 

The  changes  of  direction  in  the  trot  should  be 
made  in  exactly  the  same  manner  as  in  the  walk, 
the  horse  beine  united  before  the  turn  is  entered 
upon,  and  when  the  new  line  is  taken  the  original 
rate  of  speed  being  resumed.  And  it  must  always 
be  borne  in  mind  that,  for  every  change  in  the  ten- 
sion of  the  reins,  the  horse  must  be  prepared  by  the 


28  MODERN  HORSEMANSHIP. 

rider's  legs  :  if  the  speed  is  to  be  reduced,  the  legs 
must  first  act,  and  then  the  hand  ;  if  the  speed  is  to 
be  increased,  the  horse  must  first  be  united,  the 
legs  must  then  demand  increased  impulses  from  the 
hind-quarters  and  the  hand  give  such  liberty  of 
action  as  the  desired  rate  of  speed  requires. 

To  bring  the  horse  to  a  halt  from  the  trot,  it 
must  first  be  brought  to  a  walk,  the  rider  closing  his 
legs  against  the  animal's  sides,  and  drawing  in  the 
reins  until  the  pace  is  reduced  to  a  walk,  and  then 
in  the  same  manner  brinorinof  the  horse  to  a  full 
stop,  when  the  hand  will  release  the  tension  upon 
the  reins,  and  the  legs  be  withdrawn  from  the 
horse's  sides.  This  action  of  the  rider's  legs  pre- 
ceding the  increased  tension  upon  the  reins  is  to 
keep  the  animal  collected,  and  to  prevent  its  coming 
to  a  sudden  halt  or  going  to  the  rear.  If  a  nervous 
horse  is  irritated  by  the  pressure  of  the  legs,  it  must 
be  brought  to  bear  it  with  complacency ;  and,  al- 
though the  severer  forms  of  the  aid  are  very  seldom 
required,  all  horses  can  and  should  be  taught  to 
take  an  attack  from  the  sharp  rowels  of  the  spur 
without  showing  resentment  or  any  increased  action 
that  cannot  easily  be  restrained  by  the  hand.  Many 
accidents  have  occurred  throuQrh  an  inadvertent 
scratch  of  the  spur  given  to  a  badly  trained  horse, 
and  it  is  often  just  as  the  rider's  seat  is  imperilled 


THE  PRIMER.  29 

that  his  horse  is  rendered  furious  by  the  unac- 
customed or  dreaded  rowel,  whereas  if  the  horse 
has  been  taught  to  look  upon  the  spur  as  a  discip- 
linary instrument  that  is  never  used  in  anger,  a 
touch  from  it  will,  if  it  does  not  bring  him  to 
obedience,  at  least  work  no  great  harm.  Of  late 
years  I  have  used  sharp  rowels  upon  my  spurs  only 
to  teach  my  horses  to  bear  their  attacks  quietly, 
as  a  precautionary  measure  for  the  benefit  of  any 
persons  who  should  afterwards  ride  them  ;  and  after 
these  lessons  have  been  inculcated  I  have  pfiven 
the  aid  by  applying  the  side  of  the  heel,  or  by  the 
pressure  of  the  calf  of  the  leg,  nor  have  I  ever  found 
it  necessary  to  use  a  sharper  reminder.  I  do  not 
think  that  I  can  be  accused  of  cruelty  in  this,  for  a 
scratch  given  by  one  who  knows  how  to  use  the 
spur  is  a  very  slight  thing — nothing  to  compare  with 
the  blows  that  '  roucrh  riders '  often  eive  with  the 
cutting  whip ;  and  it  must  be  remembered  that  I 
almost,  if  not  quite,  alone  have  deprecated  the  use 
of  whip  and  spur  in  punishment. 

I  think  that  while  the  rider  uses  the  snaffle  bit  he 
should  confine  himself  to  the  walk  and  to  the  trot. 
In  these  paces  he  can  gain  a  secure  seat,  he  can 
learn  how  to  use  his  hands  and  legs,  and  he  can 
learn  much  of  how  to  direct  and  control  his  horse. 
He  can  learn  how  to  elevate  or  to  depress  the  head 


30  MODERN  HORSEMANSHIP. 

of  the  horse  by  raising  or  lowering  the  hands  ;  how, 
by  gentle  vibrations  of  the  reins,  to  place  the  face  of 
the  horse  in  the  proper  position,  about  vertical  to 
the  ground  ;  how  to  make  the  neck  and  body  of  the 
horse  conform  to  the  bend  of  the  path  he  follows  in 
changing  direction ;  how  the  legs  and  hand  should 
act  in  concert ;  and  many  other  things  that  are 
indicated  in  this  chapter,  which  he  should  know 
before  he  undertakes  to  use  a  powerful  bit.  To 
my  mind,  it  usually  requires  a  good  horseman  to 
ride  a  horse  in  the  gallop  with  a  snaffle — I  mean  in 
a  well-balanced,  well-regulated  pace — and  I  do  not 
recommend  it  to  beginners.  I  shall  have  some- 
thing to  say  about  the  gallop  in  the  next  chapter, 
and  I  shall  also  have  to  say  something  further  of 
the  walk  and  the  trot. 


THE  PRIMER. 


CHAPTER  IV.— RIDING  IN  THE  CURB  BIT. 

THE  INDIRECT  INDICATIONS  OF  THE  KEINS-THE   WALK 

—  THE    TROT— IN   HAND— UNITING    THE    HORSE— 

THE    GALLOP. 

When  the  rider  has  acquired  a  fairly  strong  seat, 
and  has  learned  something  of  the  manner  in  which 
the  hands  and  heels  work  in  unison  in  directino- 
the  movements  of  the  horse,  he  may  begin  to  ride 
with  the  double  bridle,  so  that  he  may  know  the 
uses  of  the  curb  bit  as  well  as  of  the  snaffle.  A 
well-trained  horse  should  be  habitually  ridden  with 
the  curb  reins,  the  snaffle  reins  being  employed 
from  time  to  time  to  correct  any  faults  that  may — 
and  often  do — follow  the  constant  use  of  the  curb 
bit.  In  the  snaffle,  as  we  have  seen,  the  horse  Is 
turned  or  guided  by  the  direct  rein  ;  that  is,  in 
turning  to  the  right  the  right  rein  is  drawn,  in 
turning  to  the  left  the  left  rein  Is  drawn ;  but  the 
curb  reins  are  held  In  one  hand,  and  are  divided  by 
a  little  finger,  so  that  any  very  great  direct  pull 
upon  a  single  rein  is  impossible  without  the  inter- 
vention of  the  other  hand.    To  turn  the  horse  in  the 


32  MODERN  HORSEMANSHIP. 

curb  bit,  we  use  what  Is  called  the  indirect  indica- 
tion of  the  reins  ;  that  is,  in  turning  to  the  right  the 
bridle  hand  Is  carried  to  the  right,  so  that  the  out- 
side (or  left)  rein  Is  brought  against  the  left  side 
of  the  neck  of  the  horse,  and  produces  the  desired 
effect ;  and  In  turning  to  the  left  the  hand  is  carried 
to  the  left,  so  that  the  outside  (or  right)  rein  Is 
brought  against  the  right  side  of  the  neck  of  the 
horse,  and  so  demands  the  desired  turn.  But  I 
strongly  advise  that  the  horse  should  also  be  accus- 
tomed to  obey  the  direct  Indications  of  the  curb 
reins,  which  can  easily  be  done  without  confusing 
the  two  Indications,  as  the  indirect  rein  does  not 
give  Its  indication  until  the  horse's  neck  intervenes 
between  the  hand  and  the  bit.  And  this  direct  indi- 
cation should  always  precede  the  indirect  indication 
in  the  following  manner :  if  the  rider  takes  the 
curb  reins,  divided  by  the  little  finger  in  the  left 
hand  (the  loose  ends  of  the  reins  being  drawn 
through  the  hand,  and  held  against  the  forefinger 
by  the  thumb),  and  holds  his  hand  in  front  of  his 
body,  so  that  the  thumb  is  uppermost  and  points  to- 
wards the  horse's  ears,  he  can  give  a  slight  direct 
tension  upon  the  left  curb  rein  by  bending  his  hand 
so  that  the  thumb  points  towards  the  ground  over 
the  left  shoulder  of  the  horse,  and  then  he  can  give 
an  indirect  Indication  to  the  same  effect  by  carrying 


THE  PRIMER.  33 

his  hand  to  the  left,  so  that  the  right  curb  rein  will 
be  brought  against  the  right  side  of  the  horse's 
neck.  This  will  demand  a  turn  or  bend  to  the  left. 
To  demand  a  turn  or  bend  to  the  right,  the  hand 
(being  held  so  that  the  thumb  points  towards  the 
ears)  will  be  turned  so  that  the  thumb  points  to  the 
right  shoulder  of  the  rider,  by  which  movement  a 
slight  direct  tension  will  be  given  upon  the  right 
rein  ;  by  carrying  the  hand  to  the  right  the  left 
curb  rein  will  be  brought  against  the  left  side  of 
the  horse's  neck,  so  that  the  indirect  indication  thus 
obtained  will  enforce  the  direct  indication  just 
given. 

When  the  horse  is  ridden  in  the  curb  reins,  the 
snaffle  reins  may  be  held  loosely  in  the  right  hand, 
ready  to  assist  and  enforce  the  curb  reins  ;  or  the 
snaffle  reins  may  be  held  in  the  bridle  hand,  divided 
by  the  middle  finger,  the  loose  ends  held  by  the 
thumb  against  the  forefinger,  while  the  right  hand 
is  ready  to  aid  the  bridle  hand  by  drawing  the 
snaffle  reins  when  necessary.  But,  as  I  have  said, 
when  the  curb  reins  are  in  action,  the  snaffle  reins 
must  not  be  employed  ;  when  the  snaffle  reins  are 
acting,  the  curb  reins  must  not  have  a  tension  on 
the  mouth.  If,  when  a  certain  set  of  reins  are 
acting,  it  be  necessary  to  use  the  other  set  of  reins, 
the    tension  upon  first-named  must  cease,  and  the 


34  MODERN  HORSEMANSHIP. 

Other  set  be  immediately  brought  into  use.  The 
curb  bit  has  a  tendency  to  lower  the  head  of  the 
horse,  and  the  rider  will  often  find  that  he  must 
make  an  upward  play  with  one  of  the  snaffle  reins 
to  elevate  the  forehand,  so  that  the  balance  between 
the  extremities  may  be  maintained. 

In  mounting  a  horse,  when  the  double  bridle  is 
used,  the  rider  should  take  the  snaffle  reins  in  his 
right  hand,  drawing  the  reins  until  he  can  just  feel 
the  mouth  of  the  horse.  When  he  has  reached 
the  saddle,  and  has  placed  his  right  foot  on  the 
stirrup,  he  should  pick  up  the  curb  reins  in  his  left 
hand,  and  draw  them  until  he  has  the  slightest 
possible  tension ;  then  he  will  gently  close  his  legs 
against  the  sides  of  the  horse,  and  make  very  light 
vibratory  motions  with  the  curb  reins  as  they  are 
drawn  towards  his  body.  When  the  horse  curves 
the  crest,  holds  up  its  head  with  the  face  nearly 
vertical  to  the  ground,  offers  an  elastic  touch 
against  the  reins,  and  brings  the  hind-legs  up  to 
the  point  where  the  rider  feels  that  the  impulses 
are  ready  to  be  given,  it  is  '  in  hand,'  and  is  pre- 
pared to  move.^  The  legs  of  the  rider  will  then 
give  a  slightly  increased  pressure  against  the  sides 
of  the  horse,  while  the  hand  gives  sufficient  liberty 

'  The  horse  can  hold  the  absolute  position  of  'in  hand  '  in  place — or  the 
closer  collections  of  '  in  union  '  and  '  the  poise  ' — only  for  a  moment,  as  there 
must  be  an  impulse  to  render  it  perfect. 


THE  PRIMER.  35 

to  the  animal  to  advance  in  the  walk.  The  pace 
will  be  maintained  in  exactly  the  same  manner  as 
that  described  for  the  snaffle,  but  the  rider  must 
be  more  cautious  in  the  working  of  his  hand,  as  he 
now  has  a  much  stronger  bit.  The  heels  and  hand 
should  keep  the  same  state  of  collection  with  which 
the  horse  started  ;  that  is,  the  extremities  must  be 
balanced,  the  head  well  up,  with  the  face  nearly 
vertical,  the  crest  curved,  the  mouth  pliant,  and  the 
strides  even  and  regular.  In  turning  to  the  right, 
the  horse  will  first  be  prepared  by  a  closer  collec- 
tion, a  slight  direct  tension  will  be  given  by  turn- 
ing the  bridle  hand  so  that  the  thumb  points  to 
the  rider's  right  shoulder,  and  the  indirect  indication 
that  enforces  the  same  bend  be  given  by  carrying 
the  hand  to  the  right,  while  an  increased  pressure 
of  the  rider's  left  leg  will  keep  the  croup  upon  the 
path  followed  by  the  forehand.  When  the  change 
of  direction  has  been  made,  the  horse  will  be  put 
straight,  and  the  aids  will  permit  the  horse  to  have 
the  same  liberty  of  action  as  before.  The  change 
of  direction  to  the  left  will  be  made  in  the  same 
manner,  right  and  left  aid  being  interchanged. 

The  trot  will  be  demanded  when  riding  in  the 
curb  bit  in  exactly  the  same  way  as  when  the 
snaffle  is  used,  the  horse  being  always  prepared 
for  an   increase   In  the   rate   of  speed  by  a  closer 


36  MODERN  HORSEMANSHIP. 

collection  of  the  forces.  In  trottinof,  the  reins 
should  be  held  of  equal  lengths,  unless  there  is 
some  rigidity  or  resistance  to  be  overcome,  or  a 
change  of  direction  is  to  be  made.  If  a  horse  be 
not  schooled  sufficiently  to  make  it  easy  for  the 
rider  to  demand  the  state  of  collection  which  we 
call  '  in  hand,'  there  Is  no  better  way  of  teaching 
this  than  by  riding  in  a  slow  trot  and  by  demanding 
from  the  hind-quarters  increased  impulses  which 
are  to  be  gently  met  by  the  hand.  This  should  be 
persevered  in  until  a  regular,  even,  and  balanced 
pace  is  produced,  the  hand  finding  nothing  more 
than  an  elastic  touch  upon  the  mouth  just  sufficient 
to  convey  the  indications  of  the  reins,  and  there 
being  no  suggestion  of  the  horse  hanging  back  or 
reducing  its  action.  If  the  horse  bores  upon  the 
hand,  the  hind-legs  must  be  carried  more  under  the 
mass,  and  the  forehand  must  be  elevated  ;  if  the 
horse  carries  its  head  too  high,  and  moves  uneasily, 
the  tension  upon  the  reins  should  be  reduced  and 
the  hand  lowered. 

It  is  also  in  the  slow  trot  that  the  closer  form 
of  collection,  which  we  call  'the  union,'  can  be 
produced.  The  horse  being  '  in  hand,'  the  rider 
should  demand  greater  exertions  from  the  hind- 
quarters, and  carry  back  in  a  corresponding  degree 
the  forces  of  the  forehand,  so  that  the  action  of  the 


THE  PRIMER.  2>7 

horse  will  be  increased  without  increasing  the  rate 
of  speed.  When  the  crest  is  arched,  the  muscles  of 
the  neck  swell  and  play,  the  mouth  is  pliant,  and  the 
horse  grows  under  the  rider;  while  the  diagonally 
disposed  legs  work  in  unison  in  even  and  balanced 
strides,  the  equilibrium  is  as  perfect  as  is  consistent 
with  motion.  This  '  union '  should  be  observed 
more  or  less  in  changing  direction  in  the  trot,  as 
the  horse  is  not  apt  to  trip  or  make  mistakes  in 
turning  when  so  collected,  and  the  practice  of  com- 
ing to  '  the  union '  from  '  in  hand,'  and  returning 
to  the  lesser  state  of  collection,  is  excellent  discipline 
for  the  horse  and  the  rider. 

In  uniting  the  horse,  the  rider  should  take  care 
that  the  head  is  kept  sufficiently  high  to  secure 
the  balance  between  the  forehand  and  the  croup, 
and  this  may  require  some  energetic  action  of  the 
snaffle  reins.  He  must  also  guard  against  the  horse 
carrying  the  nose  too  far  towards  the  chest;  the 
horse's  face  should  be  nearly  vertical  to  the  plane 
of  movement,  but  the  nose  should  never  fall  inside 
of  a  perpendicular  line  from  the  poll  to  the  ground, 
and  with  some  short-necked  horses  it  will  be  better 
to  let  the  nose  be  a  little  beyond  the  perpendicular 
line.  There  should  not  be  a  constant  or  a  severe 
tension  upon  the  curb  reins ;  but  by  vibratory 
motions  the  mouth  should  be  kept  fresh  and  the 


36  MODERN  HORSEMANSHIP. 

jaw  pliant,  and  the  hand  should  find  the  same 
elastic  touch  in  pulling  upon  the  reins  as  it  would 
were  they  fastened  to  a  light  wand.  Any  fault  in 
the  carriagfe  or  in  the  action  of  a  horse  can  be 
corrected  :  if  the  forehand  is  too  low  the  hind-legs 
must  be  brought  under  the  mass  ;  if  the  hind- 
quarters are  hampered  by  the  forehand,  the  latter 
must  be  lowered  and  the  forces  of  the  croup  should 
be  brought  forward  only  so  far  as  to  establish  the 
balance  between  the  extremities.  If  the  hind-legs 
are  carried  forward  beyond  a  certain  point,  the 
croup  is  lowered  and  the  forces  of  the  forehand 
predominate. 

As  long  as  the  balance  between  the  extremi- 
ties is  maintained,  the  pace  can  be  the  trot.  But 
when  the  point  of  balance  is  violently  shifted,  the 
diagonally  disposed  legs  cannot  work  in  unison,  and 
the  horse  must  take  some  form  of  the  gallop,  in 
which  the  legs  are  placed  one  after  the  other  under 
the  centre  of  gravity. 

In  the  gallop  the  horse  at  each  stride  goes 
into  air  from  a  fore-leg ;  then  the  opposite  hind- 
leg  is  carried  under  the  centre  of  gravity  and 
planted ;  then  the  other  hind-leg  is  brought  to 
the  ground  ;  then  the  fore-leg  opposite  to  this  last- 
named  hind-leg  ;  and,  finally,  the  other  fore-leg,  from 
which  the  horse  again  goes  into  air  in  a  new  stride. 


THE  PRIMER.  39 

In  the  rapid  gallop  the  horse  is  so  stretched 
out  that  the  legs  come  to  the  ground  with  such 
intervals  that  the  pace  is  of  four  beats.  In  the 
ordinary  slow  gallop,  in  hand,  the  second  planted 
hind-foot  and  its  opposite  fore-foot  come  to  the 
ground  at  about  the  same  time,  and  we  have 
the  three-tempo  gallop.  In  the  shortened  or 
school  gallop,  the  horse  is  so  closely  united  and 
sustained  that  there  is  an  interval  between  each 
footfall,  and  we  have  another  example  of  a  pace 
of  four  beats.  The  canter  is  a  disunited  pace 
of  low  momentum,  in  which  a  fore-foot  is  brought 
to  the  ground  in  each  stride  before  the  second 
hind-foot  is  planted,  and  we  have  still  another 
example  of  a  pace  of  four  beats. 

As  a  rule,  the  horse  goes  into  the  gallop  by 
taking  the  weight  upon  the  forehand,  by  then 
carrying  a  hind-leg  under  the  mass  to  support 
the  weight,  and  by  then  planting  the  other  hind- 
leg  ;  and  from  that  time  it  is  in  some  form  of 
the   gallop.^     In    other   words,    the   gallop   results 

1  From  a  halt,  or  walk,  a  slow  languid  trot  or  a  rapid  trot,  the  horse 
usually  takes  the  weight  upon  the  fore-leg,  from  which  it  will  (in  the  gallop) 
go  into  air  in  each  stride,  and  then  carries  the  diagonally  disposed  hind -leg 
under  the  centre  of  gravity,  from  which  moment  it  is  in  some  form  of  the 
gallop.  From  the  passage,  the  Spanish  trot,  or  a  very  high  united  trot,  the 
horse  sotnetitnes  takes  the  weight  upon  a  fore-leg  that  has  been  dividing  the 
weight  with  its  diagonally  disposed  hind-leg,  carries  the  other  hind-leg  under 
the  mass,  and  from  it  goes  into  the  gallop,  that  is,  it  j>iay  take  gallop  right 
from  the  left  fore-leg,  gallop  left  from  the  right  fore-leg. 


40  MODERN  HORSEMANSHIP. 

when  the  weights  are  shifted  so  violently  that 
the  fore-legs  and  the  hind-legs  cannot  work  to- 
gether in  the  order  required   for   the  walk    or  the 


trot 


The  horse  may  be  induced  to  take  the  gallop 
in  either  of  two  ways.  From  a  rapid  trot  the 
impulses  can  be  demanded  from  the  croup  until 
the  weights  are  thrown  upon  a  fore-leg,  when 
the  opposite  hind-leg  will  be  carried  under  the 
centre  of  gravity,  and  the  horse  will  then  be  in 
the  gallop ;  or,  from  a  halt,  the  walk,  or  the  slow 
trot,  the  weights  can  be  thrown  back,  so  that 
the  action  of  the  forehand  will  be  checked  or 
interrupted,  a  hind-leg  is  then  brought  under  the 
mass,  when  the  impulses  will  be  permitted  to 
overcome  the  resistance  of  the  forehand,  and 
the  horse  will  move  off  in  the  gallop,  the  side 
opposite  to  the  hind-leg  that  has  taken  the  weight 
making  the  advanced  strides. 

That  is,  to  put  a  horse  into  gallop  right,  by  the 
latter  mode,  from  a  halt,  a  walk  or  a  slow  trot, 
the  rider  will  unite  the  horse  closely ;  he  will  then 
carry  back  the  forces  of  the  forehand  to  insure 
increased  impulse  from  the  croup ;  then  by  an 
increased  pressure  of  his  left  leg,  and  an  upward 
play  of  the  right  rein  as  the  forehand  is  given 
more   liberty,    he    will   bring   the  left    hind-leg   of 


THE  PRIMER.  4 1 

the  horse  under  the  mass,  demand  the  necessary- 
impulse,  and  prepare  the  right  side  for  the  ex- 
tended strides  of  the  gallop.  When  the  horse 
has  taken  the  gallop,  it  should  be  placed  perfectly 
straight,  as  in  the  early  lessons  the  body  of  the 
horse  will  be  more  or  less  bent  by  the  application 
of  the  aids ;  but  by  making  the  horse  very  light 
in  hand  he  can,  in  time,  bring  it  to  the  gallop 
from  very  slight  indications  of  the  aids,  and  with- 
out giving  it  any  perceptible  bend.  The  rider 
must  sit  quietly,  and  between  the  hand  and  legs, 
employed  with  great  care,  keep  up  the  impulses, 
and  maintain  the  collection  of  the  forces.  The 
gallop  left  will  be  produced  in  exactly  the  same 
manner,  right  and  left  aids  being  interchanged. 
In  making  a  change  of  direction  the  horse  must 
first  be  prepared  by  a  closer  union,  and  the  out- 
side leg  of  the  rider  must  give  a  slightly  increased 
pressure  at  the  turn,  the  horse  being  placed 
straight  upon  the  new  line  when  the  change  of 
direction  has  been  made.  The  rate  of  speed  will 
be  increased  or  lessened  exactly  as  in  the  trot, 
and  the  horse  should  be  exercised  in  cominor  to 
a  trot,  to  a  walk,  and  to  a  halt,  by  the  rider 
demanding  closer  forms  of  collection,  and  then  in 
again  taking  the  walk,  the  trot,  and  the  gallop. 
The  horse  should  also  be  exercised  in  taking  and 


42  MODERN  HORSEMANSHIP. 

In  maintaining  various  rates  of  speed  at  the 
gallop,  the  Increase  or  the  decrease  In  the  rate 
of  speed  being  gradually  made,  so  that  the  action 
of  the  pace  may  be  kept  smooth  and  true. 

As  I  have  intimated,  in  gallop  I'igJit,  the  right 
legs  of  the  horse  take  the  advanced  steps  in  each 
stride  ;  in  gallop  left  the  left  legs  take  the  advanced 
steps  In  each  stride.  In  making  changes  of  direc- 
tion In  the  gallop,  the  advanced  strides  should  be 
made  by  the  side  towards  which  the  turn  is  made — 
that  is,  in  turning  to  the  right  the  horse  should  be 
in  gallop  right ;  in  turning  to  the  left  the  horse 
should  be  in  gallop  left.  This  will  bring  the  bearers 
properly  under  the  centre  of  gravity  in  the  turns. 
Until  the  rider  has  acquired  the  skill  to  make  the 
gallop  changes  he  must  interrupt  the  gallop  to  make 
a  turn,  if  the  wrong  legs  be  making  the  advanced 
strides,  or  he  will  risk  bringing  the  horse  down. 


THE  PRIMER. 


CHAPTER    v.— JUMPING. 

In  order  that  he  may  acquire  a  firm  seat,  and 
learn  how  to  bend  his  body  with  the  motions  of 
the  horse,  the  beginner  should  practise  leaping. 

The  early  lessons  in  leaping  should  be  made 
from  a  halt.  The  standing  leap  is  more  difficult 
than  the  flying  leap,  but  the  former  has  fewer 
dangers,  and  the  rules  for  the  seat  may  be  more 
properly  observed. 

The  beginner  should  be  mounted  upon  a 
steady  horse,  that  jumps  with  willingness,  and 
at  first  the  bar  should  not  be  hio^her  than  eio-h- 
teen  inches.  As  the  rider  acquires  skill  and 
confidence,  the  bar  should  be  raised  by  degrees, 
until  he  can  keep  his  seat  while  the  horse  leaps 
the  bar  at  an  elevation  of  three  and  a  half  feet, 
when  he  may  be  satisfied  that  he  can  sit  the 
horse  in  a  flying  leap  over  any  obstacle  that  is 
within  the  powers  of  the  animal.  But  the  beginner 
must  maintain  his  seat  perfectly  at  each  stage 
before  he    undertakes    to    increase    the    height    of 


44  MODERN  HORSEMANSHIP. 

the  leaps ;  and  whenever  he  finds  that  at  a  certain 
height  his  seat  is  disturbed,  he  should  lower  the 
bar  to  a  point  that  permits  him  to  keep  his  posi- 
tion in  every  particular. 

It  will  not  be  necessary  for  the  rider  to  confine 
himself  to  the  standing  leap  until  he  is  perfect 
at  the  highest  limit  I  have  placed,  but  he  certainly 
should  not  take  the  flying  leap  until  he  can  keep 
his  seat  in  the  standing  leap  over  a  bar  thirty 
inches  high  ;  and  this  leaping  from  the  halt  should 
be  practised  until  he  can  ride  the  horse  over  the 
bar  at  a  height  of  three  and  a  half  feet,  which  is 
quite  high  enough  to  test  both  rider  and  horse. 

In  taking  the  leap  from  a  halt,  the  beginner 
should  hold  a  snaffle  rein  in  each  hand  ;  this  will 
teach  him  to  hold  both  hands  in  front  of  the 
body,  and  keep  him  straight  in  his  seat.  He 
must  avoid  stiffening  himself  as  the  horse  prepares 
to  leap  :  the  feet  should  be  carried  to  the  rear, 
without  disturbing  the  grasp  of  the  knees,  so  that 
the  seat  may  not  be  forced  by  a  direct  bearing 
on  the  stirrups.  The  thighs  should  close  against 
the  horse,  and  the  knees  must  not  be  allowed  to 
go  back  as  the  horse  rises,  or  to  come  up  as  the 
leap  is  finished. 

As  the  horse  rises  for  the  leap  the  rider 
should    lean    forward,    yielding    the    hands    at   the 


THE  TRIMER.  45 

same  time,  so  that  there  shall  be  no  tension  upon 
the  reins.  As  the  horse  gives  the  spring  from 
its  hind-quarters,  the  rider  should  drop  his  hands 
and  lean  back,  quietly  resuming  the  erect  position 
when  the  hind-feet  of  the  horse  have  reached 
the  ground.  These  movements  of  the  rider's 
body  must  not  affect  the  grasp  or  the  position 
of  the  knee  and  thighs,  and  the  lower  parts  of 
the  legs  must  be  kept  back  until  the  jump  is 
finished. 

As  the  horse  alisfhts  the  rider  will  resume 
the  tension  of  the  reins,  and  be  ready  to  give  the 
animal  a  firm  support  if  it  be  required.  But 
in  takine  '  touch '  of  the  horse's  mouth  there 
must  be  no  violence,  and  in  giving  support  the 
horse  must  not  be  hampered  or  harassed. 

An  attendant  should,  in  the  first  lesson,  direct 
the  movements  of  the  horse  with  a  leading  rein, 
so  that  the  beginner  may  devote  his  attention 
to  the  positions  of  his  body  and  extremities. 
After  having  taken  a  few  leaps  with  the  leading 
rein  the  rider  should  be  left  to  himself,  so  that 
he  may  learn  to  collect  the  horse  for  the  leap. 
This  collecting  will  be  accomplished  by  gentle 
vibrations  of  the  reins,  and  such  pressures  of 
the  rider's  legs  as  are  required  to  make  the 
horse    g-ather     itself    for     the     exertion.        There 


46  MODERN  HORSEMANSHIP. 

should  be  no  effort  made  to  indicate  to  the 
horse  when  it  should  take  off  for  the  leap.  If 
the  horse  be  a  willing  jumper  the  action  of  the 
aids  made  to  collect  its  forces  will  be  all  that  is 
required,  and  all  that  a  rider  should  attempt. 

Until  the  rider  can  take  a  low  leap  in  perfect 
form,  he  should  not  try  anything  difficult.  But 
when  practice  and  care  have  made  him  expert, 
the  bar  may  be  raised  two  or  three  inches  each 
day  until  the  limit  I   have  fixed  has  been  reached. 

A  horse  can  leap  very  readily  from  a  collected 
trot — all  the  hls^h  movements  of  the  mancore  are 
made  from  the  passage — and  the  changes  of 
motion  from  the  trot  to  the  leap  and  back  again 
to  the  trot  give  excellent  practice  to  the  rider. 
The  beginner  will  follow  the  same  rules  in  riding 
the  horse  over  obstacles  from  the  trot  as  from 
the  halt,  and  he  will  collect  the  horse,  upon  its 
alighting,  to  continue  in  the  pace  with  which  It 
approached  the  bar. 

When  the  horse  takes  a  leap  from  the  gallop 
It  is  not  necessary  for  the  rider  to  lean  for- 
ward. As  the  horse  springs  from  the  ground, 
he  should  lean  back,  more  or  less,  depending 
upon  the  drop  from  the  highest  point  in  the 
leap,  to  resume  the  erect  position  as  the  hind- 
legs   of  the   horse    reach    the    ground.       Upon   a 


THE  PRIMER.  47 

galloping  horse  the  rider  should  approach  a 
jump  sitting  down  in  the  saddle,  the  knees  and 
thighs  close,  the  loins  curved  without  rigidity,  the 
feet  a  little  in  rear  of  the  perpendicular,  and 
the  hands  held  low. 

The  horse  should  be  *  in  hand,'  and  directed 
towards  the  obstacle,  but,  while  the  rider  will 
not  surrender  control  over  the  animal,  it  must 
be  given  liberty  to  determine  where,  and  with 
what  exertion  it  must  take  off  for  the  leap ;  and, 
after  it  alights,  the  hand  will  offer  such  support 
as  is  required,  and  collect  the  horse  for  the  same 
speed  as  that  with  which  it  approached  the  leap. 
In  resuming  the  tension  of  the  reins,  the  hand 
should  act  lightly,  so  that  the  horse  may  not  be 
impeded  in  its  efforts  to  secure  its  footing,  but 
if  the  horse  seeks  the  support  of  the  reins,  the 
rider  must  be  ready  to  offer  it.  No  attempt 
to  lift  the  horse  should  be  made  in  the  flying 
leap,  for,  apart  from  the  danger  of  pulling  the 
horse  into  the  obstacle,  the  animal  will  soon 
learn  to  wait  for  an  indication  from  the  rider 
when  to  take  off,  and  in  default  of  this  may  rise 
too  late  to  clear  the  leap. 

A  horse  should  never  be  whipped  or  spurred 
as  it  takes  a  leap,  for  such  a  course  will  make  the 
exercise  distasteful  to  the  most  orenerous  animals. 


48  MODERN  HORSEMANSHIP. 

As  a  rule,  the  snaffle  bit  only  should  be  used 
in  jumping,  for  in  the  hands  of  an  inexpert  rider 
the  curb  bit  will,  by  its  severity,  drive  the  horse 
to  refuse  leaping  altogether.  The  safest  form 
in  which  a  horse  jumps  is  where  it  raises  the 
forehand  and  leaves  the  orround  from  the  hind- 
legs,  and  alights  upon  the  fore-feet ;  and  the 
greater  the  deliberation  with  which  the  leap  is 
taken,  the  more  certain  the  horse  will  be  to 
jump  in  this  manner. 


THE  TRIMER.  49 


CHAPTER    VI.— DIFFICULT  HORSES. 

The  vices  and  resistances  that  are  found  in  saddle- 
horses  are  usually  the  results  of  bad  '  breaking '  or 
of  Indifferent  riding,  and  they  can  be  corrected 
only  by  some  such  careful  training  as  is  described 
in  the  second  part  of  this  work.  But  I  have 
thought  that  some  advice  regarding  the  manage- 
ment of  difficult  horses  might  be  of  service  to  the 
reader. 

In  riding  difficult  horses  the  double  bridle 
should  be  employed,  so  that  the  effects  of 
either  snaffle  or  curb  bit  can  be  had ;  and  I 
think  that  the  best  manner  of  holdine  the 
reins  is  as  follows  : — The  reins  in  the  left  hand  ; 
the  left  curb  rein  outside  the  little  finger,  the 
left  snaffle  rein  between  the  little  finger  and  the 
rino-  fino-er,  the  ri^ht  snaffle  rein  between  the  rin^r 
finger  and  the  long  finger,  the  right  curb  rein 
between  the  long  finger  and  the  index  finger,  the 
loose  ends  of  the  reins  carried  through  the  hand 
and   held  firmly  by   the    thumb.     The  right  hand 


50  MODERN  HORSEMANSHIP. 

should  be  ready  to  assist  the  bridle  hand,  and 
its  most  useful  position  will  be  upon  the  right 
reins  (in  front  of  the  bridle  hand),  the  long  finger 
against  the  inside  of  the  curb  rein,  the  index 
finger  against  the  inside  of  the  snaffle  rein ;  for 
in  this  way  the  right  hand  can  act  with  the  right 
reins,  the  left  hand  with  the  left  reins. 

Upon  mounting  a  nervous  horse  for  the  first 
time,  the  rider  should  not  confine  the  animal  too 
much,  but  should  give  it  as  much  liberty  as  is  con- 
sistent with  control ;  in  time  the  rider  can  accustom 
the  horse  to  any  desirable  state  of  collection.  Some 
horses  will  go  with  comparative  quietness  under  a 
light  hand,  but  will  bolt  or  run  away  if  restrained 
too  much. 

Almost  all  horses  will  be  '  fresh,'  and  more  or 
less  mutinous,  if  they  have  not  a  sufficient  amount 
of  work,  and  the  rider  should  be  cautious  in  cor- 
recting the  misconduct  that  arises  from  exuberant 
spirits.  Unless  he  be  really  a  good  horseman,  I 
advise  the  reader  to  exercise  a  '  fresh '  horse  upon 
the  longe  line  before  undertaking  to  mount  an 
animal  that  will  perhaps  resent  any  effort  to  direct 
its  movements  with  hand  and  heel.  I  do  not  say 
this  to  arouse  any  timidity  in  the  beginner,  for 
want  of  determination  upon  the  part  of  a  rider  is 
the  source  of  much  danger  and  difficulty  ;  but  unless 


THE  PRIMER.  51 

he  knows  that  he  can  control  a  horse  one  should 
not  undertake  to  ride  it,  and  a  fresh  horse  some- 
times requires  a  great  deal  of  skill,  I  have  often 
heard  men  say  that  they  could  ride  any  horse — they 
were  always  inferior  riders  ;  and  I  have  known  such 
to  fall  from  a  horse  that  had  not  beo^un  to  show  its 
powers  of  trying  the  seat.  Having  mounted  the 
horse  the  man  must  stay  there  If  he  can,  and  employ 
every  artifice  to  bring  the  animal  under  subjection. 
A  little  experience  with  difficult  horses  will  show 
the  rider  that,  by  watching  the  head,  and  by  feeling 
the  muscles  working  under  him,  he  can  tell  what 
a  disorderly  animal  is  about  to  attempt,  and  he 
can  then  be  on  his  guard  and  take  measures  to 
frustrate  its  plans.  As  far  as  is  possible,  I  shall 
explain  these  indications,  and  what  seems  to  me  to 
be  the  best  thing  for  the  rider  to  do  under  the 
circumstances. 

If,  when  the  rider  is  about  to  mount,  the  horse 
draws  to  the  rear  (and  some  horses  will  cast 
themselves  against  a  wall  or  throw  themselves  over 
on  the  back  when  an  attempt  is  made  to  mount 
them),  the  animal  should  be  led  forward,  the  rider 
walking  by  its  side  ;  and  while  the  horse  is  moving 
he  must  vault  into  the  saddle  (no  difficult  feat),  or 
be  assisted  by  having  a  leg  up.  This  vice  is  often 
the  result  of  an  injury  to  the  mouth  of  the  horse, 


52  MODERN  HORSEMANSHIP. 

and,  whatever  the  cause,  it  must  be  removed,  and 
the  horse  be  made  confident,  before  a  cure  can  be 
effected.  Such  a  horse  will  often  go  quietly  after 
the  rider  has  taken  his  seat ;  but  it  is  possible  that 
it  is  'behind  the  hand,'  and,  before  the  rider  has 
settled  down  in  the  saddle,  will  begin  to  show  some 
of  those  very  trying  tricks  that  are  common  to 
horses  that  refuse  to  go  into  the  bridle.  If  the 
horse  comes  to  a  short  stop,  and  the  hand  finds 
nothing  to  act  against,  while  the  heels  can  find  no 
response,  the  animal  has  made  up  its  mind  to  try 
conclusions  with  the  rider,  and  he  will  require  all 
his  skill  to  hold  his  own.  If  the  horse  turns  shortly 
about  (and  this  can  be  foretold  by  a  yielding  of  the 
croup  on  the  side  to  which  the  horse  will  turn),  the 
rider  must  be  ready  to  make  the  turn  complete,  and 
when  the  head  of  the  horse  has  come  into  the 
original  direction,  the  hand  must  be  raised  and  the 
heels  be  quickly  applied  against  the  flanks  of  the 
horse,  to  secure  the  impulses  that  exist,  and  that  are 
ready  in  the  flexed  hind-legs.  Once  it  is  started, 
the  horse  must  be  kept  going  in  any  pace  or  move- 
ment that  it  will  take,  the  rider  gradually  obtaining 
better  control  over  the  animal,  and  rewarding  any- 
thing that  resembles  obedience.  By  very  light  ten- 
sions upon  the  snaffle  the  rider  should  encourage 
the  horse  to  go  up  into  the  bridle,  and  whenever  the 


THE  PRIMER.  53 

rider's  legs  close  against  the  horse  the  hand  should 
give  the  animal  liberty  to  advance,  and  every  re- 
sponse to  the  heels  should  be  rewarded. 

If  the  horse,  instead  of  whipping  around,  runs 
to  the  rear,  the  rider  must  try  to  wheel  it  about  and 
get  it  forward  in  the  same  manner  as  that  described 
in  the  preceding  paragraph. 

If  the  horse  goes  forward  in  a  series  of  little  stiff- 
legged  jumps,  its  jaw  lifeless  and  refusing  to  take 
any  tension  upon  the  reins,  it  must  be  pushed  into 
a  rapid  pace  until  it  takes  some  regular  action,  be 
it  trot  or  gallop,  and  the  rider  should  then  encourage 
it  as  if  he  had  obtained  the  obedience  he  required, 
and  gradually  bring  it  to  a  moderate  rate  of  speed 
and  under  better  control. 

If  a  fresh  horse  makes  a  few  leaps,  without  trying 
to  force  the  hand  or  to  get  down  its  head,  the  rider 
should  sit  quietly  and  press  the  animal  forward,  so 
that  he  can  brino-  it  to  face  the  bit.  If  the  horse 
plunges  or  '  bucks,'  its  head  should  be  elevated,  and 
the  animal  must  be  driven  forward  in  any  pace 
or  movement  that  it  will  take,  the  rider  bringing 
it  under  better  control  when  regular  action  is 
established. 

If  a  horse  is  restless,  and  tries  to  go  faster  than 
the  rider  desires,  he  should  bring  it  to  a  halt  and 
either  make  it  back  a  few  paces,  or  (if  he  cannot 


54  MODERN  HORSEMANSHIP. 

accomplish  this)  turn  it  about  a  few  times  by 
drawing  the  right  (or  left)  rein,  and  pressing  in  the 
heel  of  the  same  side.  This  'rolling  up'  is  often 
very  effective,  as  it  confuses  the  horse  and  gives  it 
an  idea  that  it  is  helpless  in  the  hands  of  the  rider. 
A  sufficient  amount  of  work  in  a  fair  trot  is  the  best 
remedy  for  restlessness  that  I  know,  and  usually  a 
horse  is  less  apt  to  show  vice  in  a  well-cadenced 
trot  than  under  any  other  circumstances. 

If  a  horse  turns  its  croup  to  either  hand,  and 
sidles  away  from  the  line  the  rider  wishes  to  follow, 
its  head  7nust  be  pitlled  to  the  same  side\  this  will 
straighten  the  horse,  and  it  can  then  be  put  in  the 
original  direction. 

A  horse  rears  either  viciously  when  it  almost 
invariably  first  gets  behind  the  hand,  or  because 
the  bit  has  been  too  severe  upon  its  mouth.  In  the 
latter  case  there  is  nothing  to  be  done  but  to  loosen 
the  reins,  and,  when  the  animal  has  come  to  the 
ground,  to  push  it  forward.  When  the  horse  sud- 
denly drops  the  jaw,  and  then  as  quickly  stiffens 
it  against  the  hand,  and  rears,  the  rider  may  be 
sure  that  he  has  an  old  offender  who  is  trying  his 
nerve  and  skill.  The  only  cure  for  such  a  subject 
is  a  thorough  course  of  suppling  ;  and  it  is  exceed- 
ingly difficult  to  determine  what  other  course  should 
be  followed  with  a  horse  that  rears  in  this  manner. 


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THE  PRIMER.  55 

If  It  be  treated  with  the  consideration  shown  the 
animal  that  reared  through  the  rider's  fault,  it  will 
repeat  the  misconduct  at  the  first  opportunity.  If 
it  be  struck  with  the  spurs  as  it  comes  down  to  the 
ground  it  will  probably  be  induced  to  add  plunging 
to  its  accomplishments.  Pulling  it  over  upon  its 
back  will  not  deter  it  from  rearing  again,  and  one 
does  not  always  have  the  bottle  of  water  ready 
which  we  are  told  should  be  broken  upon  the  head 
of  a  rearing  horse.  As  I  have  said,  this  vice  can  be 
cured  by  a  course  of  suppling,  but  I  confess  that  I 
know  of  no  other  way  of  correcting  it ;  and  should 
a  horse  rear  I  cannot  give  the  reader  any  better 
advice  than  to  loosen  the  reins  as  the  horse  rises, 
and  to  take  a  tension  upon  the  snaffle  reins,  and 
close  the  legs  against  the  flanks,  as  it  comes  down, 
so  that  the  animal  shall  not  feel  that  it  has  been 
wholly  successful  in  avoiding  restraint. 

I  have  known  a  great  many  remedies  tried  with 
rearing  horses,  and  I  have  myself  tried  many,  with 
the  result  that  nothing  could  be  done  to  correct  the 
fault  until  the  animals  were  practically  re-trained  ; 
that  is,  discipline  must  be  established  in  exactly  the 
same  manner  as  with  a  headstrong  colt.  Mr.  Fritz, 
of  Stuttgart,  the  most  thorough  horseman  and  the 
best  riding-master  I  ever  knew,  would  never  admit 
a  rearing  horse  into  his  school,  but  he  believed  that 


56  MODERN  HORSEMANSHIP. 

all  other  vices  might  be  reformed.  If,  when  a 
horse  rears,  the  rider  finds,  by  the  sinking  of  the 
croup,  that  the  animal  is  about  to  fall  back,  he 
should  free  himself  from  the  stirrups  and  grasp  the 
mane,  and  throw  himself  away  from  the  animal  as 
it  comes  down. 

If  upon  being  mounted  the  horse  arches  its  back, 
lowers  its  head,  gathers  Its  legs  under  the  body  and 
refuses  to  move,  the  rider  should  beware  of  apply- 
ing punishment,  for  if  a  severe  use  of  the  aids  does 
induce  the  animal  to  move,  it  will  be  in  a  series  of 
mad  plunges.  By  light  taps  of  the  whip  under  the 
fore-arm,  or  by  gentle  pressures  of  his  legs,  the 
rider  should  endeavour  to  induce  the  horse  to 
extend  itself  until  the  back  sinks  to  its  normal 
position ;  the  head  can  then  be  elevated,  and  the 
horse  can  be  made  to  advance. 

If  the  horse  stands  with  its  legs  apart,  its  body 
rigid,  its  head  and  neck  thrust  upwards,  and  it 
refuses  to  move,  the  rider  must  not  try  to  drive  it 
forward,  unless  he  is  curious  to  see  where  a  bolting 
horse  will  go.  If  he  can  induce  the  horse  to  bend 
the  head  and  neck  to  either  hand,  the  rigidity  will 
disappear,  and  the  horse  can  be  collected  and  moved 
forward  ;  or  if  another  horse  be  ridden  alongside  so 
as  to  push  it  and  make  it  change  its  position  the 
resistance  can  be  overcome. 


:  .'0i 


"t  'i 


THE  PRIMER.  57 

A  shy  horse  should  never  be  forced  to  face  an 
object  that  frightens  it.  The  animal  may  be  made 
to  pass  anything  that  causes  fear  if  its  head  be 
turned  away  and  the  outside  heel  drives  it  along 
in  a  side  movement  similar  to  that  known  as 
shoitlder-in ;  and  in  the  same  manner  a  horse  can 
be   made  to  or-Q  in  a  direction   for  which  it  is  dis- 


ss' 


inclined.  If  the  thing  which  frightens  the  horse  be 
moving,  the  horse  should  be  brought  to  a  halt  with 
its  flank  towards  the  object,  and  the  animal  be 
soothed  by  voice  and  hand.  A  nervous  horse  is 
far  more  fearful  of  music,  moving  troops,  banners,, 
etc.,  when  at  some  distance  than  when  in  the 
immediate  vicinity ;  and  In  teaching  the  horse  to 
be  quiet  with  such  sights  and  sounds,  it  should  be 
quietly  but  firmly  brought  close  to  them  in  such  a 
manner  that  whatever  causes  its  alarm  is  upon  one 
side  or  the  other,  rather  than  directly  in  its  face 
or  directly  behind  it. 


H 


PART   II.— TRAINING. 

THE  MIDDLE  SCHOOL  OF  HORSEMANSHIP. 


PART    II.— TRAINING. 
THE  MIDDLE  SCHOOL  OF  HORSEMANSHIP. 


CHAPTER  I.  — THE  RESULTS  OF  TRAINING. 

The  advantao^e  of  a  crood  method  of  trainingf 
over  a  crude  and  improper  one  may  be  seen  by 
comparing  the  carriage,  action,  and  temper  of  a 
well-schooled  horse  with  an  animal  that  has  been 
*  broken '  in  the  usual  manner. 

The  schooled  horse,  carrying  itself  in  a  light  and 
graceful  manner,  at  easy,  regular,  and  controlled 
paces,  will  render  immediate  obedience  to  every  de- 
mand of  its  rider.  The  horse  that  has  not  been 
systematically  schooled  learns,  in  time,  to  carry  its 
burden  more  or  less  awkwardly,  depending  upon  its 
natural  form  and  balance,  in  paces  which  hardly  ever 
equal  in  grace  and  smoothness  those  in  which  it 
moved  in  liberty.  If  an  animal  consents  to  move 
along  in  a  shambling  walk,  a  disunited  trot,  and  a 
lumbering  gallop,    hanging   back   from    the   bit   or 


62  MODERN  HORSEMANSHIP. 

bearing-  upon  the  hand,  it  is  as  far  advanced  in  its 
education  as  the  majority  of  horses  ever  get. 

By  a  course  of  physical  training,  such  as  prepares 
the  athlete  for  his  feats,  and  a  kindly  enforced  disci- 
pline, in  which  resentment  is  never  aroused  and 
compliance  becomes  a  fixed  habit,  the  horse  is  ren- 
dered ready  and  willing  to  give  prompt  obedience 
to  every  demand  of  Its  master ;  an  artificial  balance 
is  acquired,  so  that  the  horse  carries  its  rider  in 
easy  and  united  paces,  and  a  thorough  understand- 
ing between  the  man  and  the  horse  is  established. 

As  there  is  no  man  that  cannot  be  improved  by 
the  exercises  of  the  gymnasium,  so  there  is  no  horse 
that  cannot  be  improved  by  school  work.  There 
are  few  horses  so  ill-formed  that,  by  suppling  and 
collecting,  they  cannot  be  made  light  and  graceful 
in  carriage  and  action  ;  there  are  no  horses  that  will 
not  show  strlkiner  chanj^e  for  the  better.  There  is 
no  doubt  that  the  old  method  of  schooling,  in  which 
the  forces  of  the  forehand  were  thrust  back  upon 
the  hind-quarters  by  heavy  hands  and  powerful  bits, 
taught  the  horse  to  shun  extended  strides  ;  but  I  do 
not  see  why  a  horse  schooled  by  the  mild  and  easy 
system  I  have  recommended  should  refuse  to  extend 
itself,  althoueh  the  whole  of  its  education  is  directed 
to  the  point  of  obtaining  united  action.  I  have 
always    been  of  the  opinion  that  schooling  a  horse 


TRAINING.  63 

would  improve  its  speed,  because  the  exercises 
should  strengthen  and  make  pliant  the  joints  and 
muscles ;  and  I  have  never  found  that  my  horses 
showed  any  disinclination  to  extend  themselves, 
although  I  have  never  made  any  tests  that  would 
authorise  me  to  say  that  they  could  gallop  faster  by 
reason  of  their  training.  I  am  convinced,  however, 
from  my  experiences,  that  a  horse  jumps  much  more 
strongly  and  safely  after  a  course  oi general  schooling 
than  before  it  has  been  suppled. 

It  is  easier  to  train  a  horse  properly  than  to  train 
it  improperly — if  an  improper  course  of  handling 
may  be  called  training.  There  are  no  struggles 
for  mastery,  no  efforts  of  the  frightened  animal  to 
break  away  from  a  harsh  hand,  no  resentments  to 
be  overcome,  no  suspicions  to  be  allayed.  It  is  all 
pleasant,  easy,  and  amusing,  both  to  master  and  to 
pupil.  The  time  required  to  school  a  horse  would 
depend  upon  the  animal  and,  to  a  greater  degree, 
upon  the  man.  I  think  that  by  any  of  the  recognised 
systems  a  horse  should  be  perfectly  suppled,  and 
made  obedient  to  hand  and  heel,  in  the  time  that 
the  '  breaker '  would  make  the  same  horse  '  steady 
to  ride ' !  The  fact  that  a  '  system  '  was  employed 
in  the  first  instance  would  account  for  the  greater 
improvement.  And  what  a  difference  there  would 
be  between  horses  trained  by  the  two  methods ! 


64  MODERN  HORSEMANSHIP. 

I  have  never  exhibited  a  horse  pubHcly,  but 
I  once  rode  a  horse  that  I  had  trained  before  some 
gentlemen  who  were  interested  in  the  subject  of 
schooHng,  and  the  incident  was  noticed,  by  repre- 
sentatives of  those  papers,  in  The  Times  of  June  i, 
1883;  The  Illustrated  Spo7''ting  and  Dramatic  News 
of  June  2,  1883;  and  Vanity  Fair  oi  ]\.\n&  c),  1883. 
I  reproduce  the  article  of  The  Times,  as  it  bears  me 
out — as  do  the  others — in  what  I  have  said  regard- 
ing the  results  of  schooling  : — 

'  What  may  be  done  for  a  horse,  not  apparently 
by  natural  conformation  fitted  to  be  used  for  the 
saddle,  simply  by  a  course  of  kind,  patient,  and 
intelligently-directed  schooling,  has  been  exempli- 
fied, not  a  little  to  the  surprise  of  the  few  gentlemen 
who  have  been  invited  to  see  it,  by  an  animal 
belonging  to  Mr.  Edward  L.  Anderson,  one  of  our 
visitors  from  America,  who  is  known,  by  his  works 
on  the  habits  and  management  of  the  horse,  to  many 
lovers  of  this  animal.  At  first  sight  Alidor  is 
certainly  not  a  promising  subject  as  he  stands  in  the 
riding-school  waiting  for  his  master  to  mount  him. 
He  is  low  at  the  shoulder,  his  head  is  heavy,  the 
mouth  shallow  ;  he  stands  with  hinder  limbs  well 
out  at  an  angle,  and  one  is  not  surprised  to  learn 
that  the  dam  was  a  Norwegian  drudge,  and  that  in 
his  youth  Alidor  had  an  unenviable  power  of  pulling 


TRAINING.  65 

a  load  with  his  mouth.  But  the  moment  the  groom 
has  hooked  up  the  light  curb  chain  of  tlie  riding  bit 
and  the  owner  has  mounted,  the  whole  appearance 
and  expression  of  the  creature  changes ;  he  pulls 
himself  together,  bringing  his  feet  well  under  him, 
arches  his  neck,  yielding  his  head  to  the  slightest 
pull  of  the  rein,  and  obeying  the  wish  of  the 
rider  almost,  as  it  seems,  before  the  wish  is  ex- 
pressed, by  a  motion  of  the  heel  and  the  needle 
prick  of  the  spur,  or  a  gentle  touch  of  the  silk- 
tipped  whip. 

'  The  movements  of  the  animal  are  as  different 
from  those  of  the  farmer's  gig-horse  that  he  would 
have  been  had  not  fate  marked  him  out  to  receive 
a  higher  education,  as  the  movements  of  one  who 
has  passed  with  profit  through  the  gymnasium,  the 
drill-ground,  and  the  dancing-school  are  from  those 
of  a  lumpish  country  lout.  Alidor's  neck  and  limbs 
are  now,  as  the  result  of  his  training,  remarkably 
supple ;  the  least  tightening  of  the  rein  will  cause 
him  to  brinor  his  head  round  to  his  shoulder  ;  he  will 
back  in  circles  with  a  serpentine  motion  ;  he  will 
wheel  round  with  any  one  of  his  legs  for  a  pivot  that 
the  rider  chooses ;  he  "  traverses "  in  the  passage 
action  and  executes  demi-voltes  and  repeats  reversed 
pirouettes  with  unfailing  readiness  and  ease.  Then 
to  show  his  "  form,"  he  will  advance  with  the  stately 


66  MODERN  HORSEMANSHIP. 

action  of  the  Spanish  march,  and  again  with  the 
same  exao^orerated  motions  at  the  trot. 

'  Circles  and  serpentines  are  repeated  at  the 
gallop,  and  he  changes  lead ;  while,  with  the  appli- 
cation of  the  spurs,  he  is  brought  to  a  dead  halt 
as  he  is  going  at  full  gallop.  A  small  wooden 
barred  hurdle,  thirty  inches  high,  and  about  as 
wide  as  an  ordinary  cottage  garden-gate,  is  placed 
in  the  ride ;  the  rider,  taking  off  his  spurs  and 
throwing  away  his  stirrups,  walks  Alidor  up  to 
the  jump,  and  the  obedient  creature  goes  over 
the  bars  with  a  lightness  one  would  hardly  have 
suspected,  even  after  witnessing  his  previous  per- 
formances. Another  narrow  gate,  of  the  same  dimen- 
sions as  the  first,  is  set  up  little  more  than  the  length 
of  the  horse  away,  and  he  takes  the  two,  in  and 
out,  as  comfortably  and  unconcernedly  as  the  one. 

'  What  is  most  noticeable,  perhaps,  is  the  perfect 
habit  of  obedience  which  Is  the  outcome  of  this 
system  of  education.  The  animal  seems  to  have  no 
Idea  of  refusing  to  do  whatever  is  required  of  him ; 
he  went  at  a  gallop  straight  at  the  wall,  only  stop- 
ping when  the  rider  brought  him  up  with  the  spurs 
just  as  his  nose  would  have  touched  the  bricks  ;  and 
throuo^hout  the  whole  hour's  ride  It  was  evident  that 
the  most  perfect  accord  subsisted  between  man  and 
horse.' 


TRAINING.  67 

That  the  method  I  have  followed  gives  a  thorough 
and  exact  control  over  the  horse  is  proved  by  the 
photographs  with  which  this  work  is  illustrated, 
and  the  fact  has  been  admitted  by  professional 
trainers  and  skilled  amateur  horsemen  of  several 
countries  (many  of  these  differing  with  me  about 
punishment  and  upon  other  points),  who  have  seen 
me  ride  AHdor,  Nancy,  Coquette,  Silvana,  or  other 
of  my  horses. 


68  MODERN  HORSEMANSHIP. 


CHAPTER  11.— DISCIPLINE  AND  EXERCISE. 

The  secret  of  success  in  the  management  of  horses 
lies  in  a  kindly  enforced  discipline.  Through 
gentleness  and  firmness  the  most  irritable  animal 
may  be  made  perfectly  quiet  and  obedient. 

It  is  important  that  there  should  be  no  breaches 
of  discipline  upon  the  part  of  the  young  horse  ;  for 
with  care  its  education  may  be  carried  on  without 
permitting  the  idea  of  resisting  the  trainer's  will  to 
enter  the  animal's  mind.  From  the  time  the  horse 
is  taken  in  hand,  it  should  be  the  object  of  the 
trainer  to  impress  the  horse  with  his  power.  The 
animal  should  not  be  permitted  to  move  except  at 
the  command  of  its  master.  If  it  take  a  step  in  any 
direction  without  having  received  orders,  it  should 
be  quietly  made  to  resume  its  position.  It  should 
be  made  to  keep  the  pace  and  action  desired  by  the 
trainer,  and  in  every  possible  way  the  horse  should 
be  made  to  feel  that  it  must  recognise  a  superior 
will.  While  it  is  wise  to  avoid  a  battle  with  a  horse, 
the  man  should  bear  in  mind  that  it  is  through  the 


TRAINING.  69 

habit  of  obedience  that  he  controls  the  animal,  and 
he  should,  therefore,  in  laying  the  foundations  of  its 
education,  endeavour  to  demand  nothing  that  he  is 
not  prepared  to  enforce.  But,  above  all  things,  the 
man  should  avoid  challenging  the  horse  to  a  contest, 
and  then  yielding  to  the  angry  animal ;  for,  while  a 
horse  may  forget  that  it  has  upon  occasion  been 
guilty  of  misconduct  without  receiving  correction, 
it  will  always  remember  a  successful  resistance 
of  authority.  If  the  horse  shows  a  determination 
not  to  accede  to  the  repeated  demands  of  its  trainer, 
it  must  be  made  to  obey,  or  the  man's  rule  is  in 
jeopardy.  But  this  will  not  be  a  case  for  severe 
punishment ;  nothing  but  patience  will  avail  the 
trainer.  The  horse  should  be  made  to  remain  in 
place.  Every  voluntary  movement  should  be 
checked,  unless  it  be  the  one  required  by  the  man, 
when  the  horse  should  be  rewarded  as  though 
it  had  not  been  guilty  of  mutiny.  Regardless 
of  the  time  passed,  or  of  the  annoyance  it 
causes  him,  the  trainer  should  keep  the  horse 
in  the  same  place,  until  it  readily  obeys  the 
order  it  has  refused.  If  the  horse  becomes 
violent,  it  may  be  hobbled ;  but  it  is  always 
better  to  obtain  obedience  with  the  bridle  alone, 
as  the  horse  will  learn  to  look  upon  it  as  a  potent 
instrument.      The  man  may  not  desire   to    repeat 


70  MODERN  HORSEMANSHIP. 

this  lesson,  but  it  is  seldom  that  any  horse  requires 
a  repetition. 

The  horse  should  never  be  punished  with  whip 
or  spur.  Those  aids  should  be  looked  upon  as  the 
means  by  which  the  rider  conveys  his  orders,  and 
the  animal  should  not  wince  or  struggle  when  they 
are  threatened  or  applied. 

The  trainer  should  remember  that  nearly  all  the 
resistances  of  young  horses  arise  from  ignorance  of 
what  is  required  of  them,  and  he  should  take  great 
care  to  show  the  horse  what  is  demanded  of  it  before 
he  thinks  of  correct! nof  it  for  a  fault. 

A  horse  trained  accordinQf  to  the  method  I  have 
offered  should,  and  I  am  convinced  will,  render 
immediate  obedience  to  its  rider. 

The  horse  in  training,  as  at  all  times,  should 
be  kept  in  regular  exercise.  During  the  suppling 
lessons,  it  should  be  longed  upon  the  cavesson  rein. 
The  cavesson  is  a  sovereign  remedy  for  nervous- 
ness or  restlessness.  The  reader  will  see  from  the 
print  that  the  cavesson  is  a  head-collar,  having  a 
metal  nose-band  upon  the  front  and  each  side  of 
which  are  rings  for  reins.  I  do  not  use  a  bit  in 
exercising  horses  upon  the  longe,  but  I  fasten  the 
side  reins  to  buckles  upon  each  side  of  the  surcingle, 
and  put  the  longe-line  in  the  ring  on  the  front  of 
the  nose-band. 


TRAINING.  71 

The  horse,  equipped  in  the  manner  indicated, 
should  be  taken  to  some  quiet  spot,  and  made  to  go 
quietly  about  the  trainer,  first  to  one  hand  and  then 
to  the  other.  At  intervals  the  animal  should  be 
drawn  to  the  trainer  to  receive  caresses  and  kind 
words.  In  this  way  the  horse  receives  an  excellent 
kind  of  exercise,  in  which  much  of  the  general 
suppling  is  accomplished,  and  gains  a  confidence  in 
man  that  cannot  be  imparted  so  rapidly  by  any 
other  means. 

The  pulls  upon  the  longe-line  should  be  very 
light.  Waving  the  lines  a  few  times  horizontally 
will  usually  induce  the  horse  to  stop.  The  greatest 
power  (to  be  used  with  discretion)  may  be  obtained 
by  waving  the  line  up  and  down,  and  by  giving  a 
pull  upon  the  rein  as  the  hand  comes  down. 

It  is  better  not  to  let  the  horse  go  faster  than  a 
slow  trot  in  longeing  it.  In  the  rapid  paces  there  is 
great  risk  of  injury,  and  the  horse  falls  into  a  care- 
less and  heavy  manner  of  moving  that  must  be 
corrected  afterwards. 

The  lessons  should  be  given  every  day,  and  the 
horse  should  be  in  the  hands  of  the  trainer  at  least  an 
hour — divided,  if  possible,  into  two  lessons  of  thirty 
minutes  each  day.  When  the  horse  is  used  under 
the  saddle,  the  suppling  lessons  should  be  given 
before  and  after  the  riding  exercise,  until  the  animal 


72  MODERN  HORSEMANSHIP. 

understands  and  answers  to  every  indication  of  the 
bits  ;  and  whenever,  at  any  time,  the  horse  becomes 
indifferent  to  the  bits,  or  dull  in  movement,  as  it 
may  through  bad  or  careless  riding,  it  should  be 
put  back  to  the  flexions  and  supplings. 


TRAINING. 


CHAPTER  III.— RIDING  THE   YOUNG  HORSE. 

The  early  lessons  given  to  the  young  horse 
will  in  a  very  great  measure  decide  its  future ; 
for,  although  faults  acquired  in  the  '  breaking  in ' 
may  be  corrected,  it  is  always  better  that  all 
resistances  should  be  avoided  from  the  start,  and 
an  animal  that  has  not  learned  to  plunge  or  to 
bolt  before  it  is  put  into  the  suppling  exercises 
will,  in  all  probability,  make  a  safe,  trustworthy, 
and  agreeable  saddle-horse. 

I  prefer  to  put  the  double  bridle  upon  the 
young  horse,  unless  by  reason  of  its  growing 
teeth  the  mouth  is  too  tender ;  but  I  use  only 
the  snaffle,  except  when  occasion  demands  the 
employment  of  the  severer  bit.  If  the  snaffle 
bridle  alone  is  used,  there  should  also  be  placed 
on  the  head  of  the  horse  a  'training  halter,'  so 
that  in  case  the  animal  throws  up  its  nose  the 
band  will  assist  the  snaffle  in  lowering  it. 

As  the  object  of  the  rider  should  be  to  avoid 
arousing    resistances,   he    should    not    mount    the 

K 


74  MODERN  HORSEMANSHIP. 

young  horse  until  the  animal  has  been  made 
quiet  and  confident  upon  the  longe-line  :  and  to 
teach  the  young  horse  to  obey  the  indications  of 
the  bit,  by  the  trainer  walking  behind  and  driv- 
ing it  with  a  pair  of  long,  light  reins  before  it  is 
called  upon  to  bear  the  weight  of  a  man,  is  ex- 
cellent practice ;  and  this  is  the  best  time  to  teach 
the  incitement  to  action  of  the  '  clucking '  of  the 
tongue. 

An  attendant  should  be  present  when  the  horse 
is  first  mounted,  to  assist  the  rider  gently  into 
the  saddle,  and,  if  necessary,  to  lead  the  animal 
a  few  steps  forward.  When  the  horse  has  started 
into  a  walk  it  should  be  left  to  the  rider's  care  ; 
and  he  should  take  the  very  lightest  tension 
upon  the  snaffie  reins,  and  keep  the  lower  parts 
of  his  legs  away  from  the  fianks.  If  the  horse 
goes  steadily,  it  should  not  be  tried  too  far,  and 
after  a  few  minutes  the  rider  should  brino-  it  to 
a  halt,  reward  and  encourage  it,  and  quietly 
dismount.  It  is  of  the  highest  importance  that 
the  horse  should  be  taken  back  to  the  stable  with- 
out having  had  its  fears  aroused,  so  that  it  may 
have  no  unpleasant  recollections  of  its  first  lesson. 
The  second  lesson  should  also  extend  through 
no  more  than  five  minutes  ;  but  the  horse  should, 
in    the    meantime,    be   exercised    upon    the   longe. 


TRAINING.  75 

The  third  lesson  may  be  for  ten  minutes ;  and 
each  succeeding  one  a  Httle  longer,  until  the  horse 
has  as  much  work  under  the  saddle  as  suits  Its 
strength  and  condition  without  fatiguing  or  dis- 
gusting it. 

If  all  goes  well,  the  horse  may  be  put  into  a 
trot  in  the  fourth  or  fifth  lesson,  being  incited 
by  the  '  clucking '  of  the  rider's  tongue,  or  by  a 
light  tap  delivered  behind  the  girths.  Whip 
blows  on  the  hind-legs  will  induce  the  horse  to 
lash  out ;  delivered  upon  the  rump,  they  will 
induce  the  horse  to  raise  the  croup  in  kicking. 
I  need  not  say  such  applications  of  the  whip 
should  be  avoided.  In  these  early  lessons  the 
rider  should  not  try  to  do  too  much ;  the  reins 
should  be  used  cautiously,  and  no  persistent 
efforts  should  be  made  to  produce  a  good  car- 
riage. I  have  known  many  cases  in  which  the 
training  proceeded  without  any  decided  resistances 
on  the  part  of  the  young  horse ;  but  it  may  be 
that  during  one  of  the  first  four  or  five  lessons 
the  animal  will  plunge  more  or  less  violently. 
In  a  plunge  the  rider  must  lean  back  and  sit 
close,  keeping  up  the  head  of  the  horse  as  gently 
as  possible,  and  driving  it  forward.  If  the  rider 
can  resist  punishing  the  horse,  and,  without  any 
battle,    can    induce     it    to    go   forward,    it    is    not 


76  MODERN  HORSEMANSHIP. 

likely    that    this  form    of  misconduct    will   be    re- 
peated. 

Having  brought  the  horse  through  this  hazard- 
ous stage  of  its  education,  so  that  it  will  move 
quietly  under  its  rider,  it  must  be  taught  to  face 
'  the  bit,'  that  is,  it  must  be  induced  to  move  freely 
and  steadily  against  a  slight  constant  tension  of 
the  reins.  To  produce  this  the  rider  must  begin 
to  employ  the  pressure  of  his  legs  in  demanding 
the  impulses  from  the  croup,  and  these  impulses 
will  be  met  and  directed  by  the  hand.  I  prefer, 
during  this  stage  of  the  horse's  education,  to  have 
the  head  elevated  rather  more  than  is  necessary 
for  the  balance  between  the  extremities  (unless 
the  horse  be  really  weak  in  the  croup),  to  have 
the  nose  extended  somewhat  beyond  the  per- 
pendicular, and  to  make  rather  a  hard  mouth 
than  one  too  soft,  as  I  find  these  conditions 
produce  better  results  in  the  end,  and  save  much 
trouble  in  the  suppling  and  collecting  exercises. 

In  the  lessons  for  teaching  the  horse  to  face 
the  bit,  the  rider  should  often  bring  it  to  a  walk 
from  the  trot,  and  then  put  it  again  into  the 
trot,  demanding  the  impulses  by  the  pressure  of 
his  legs,  enforced,  if  necessary,  by  a  tap  of  the 
whip  delivered  behind  the  girths.  In  the  same 
way  the   horse  should  often  be  brought  to  a  halt 


TRAINING.  77 

from  the  walk,  and  the  walk  be  again  demanded. 
But  these  changes  from  the  halt  to  the  walk,  and 
from  the  walk  to  the  trot  should  be  made  quietly 
and  without  disorder,  and  always  against  a  slight 
tension  of  the  reins.  In  order  that  the  trainer 
may  know  how  thoroughly  these  lessons  should  be 
conducted,  I  may  say  that  no  horse  can  be  made 
safe  to  ride  until  it  has  been  taught  to  go  into 
the  bridle ;  for  the  trick  of  getting  behind  the 
hand  is  the  source  of  nearly  every  vice  possible 
to  the  saddle-horse. 

When  the  horse  will  move  forward  freely  in 
the  walk  and  in  the  trot  against  a  constant  ten- 
sion upon  the  snaffle  reins,  it  is  ready  for  the 
suppling  and  collecting  exercises. 

These  early  lessons  may  be  given  in  the  open 
air,  on  the  road  or  in  the  fields,  but  the  follow- 
ing^ course  of  instruction  should  be  r>-iven  in  some 
quiet  and  retired  place — preferably  in  a  covered 
school,  where  there  will  be  nothing  to  distract 
the  attention  of  the  horse.  I  have  heard  it  said 
that  the  education  of  a  school-trained  horse  must 
be  agfain  undertaken  when  the  animal  is  used 
in  the  open  ;  but  such  has  not  been  my  experi- 
ence, although,  as  is  natural,  horses  may  be  at 
first  somewhat  timid  at  stranore  siohts  and  sounds. 
But  even  though  a  horse  should  find  many  things 


y^  MODERN  HORSEMANSHIP. 

outside  the  school  of  which  it  is  mistrustful,  it 
is  far  easier  to  control  the  disciplined  than  the 
undisciplined  animal.  All  of  my  training  has 
been  carried  on  in  covered  schools,  but  of  neces- 
sity the  photographs  were  taken  in  the  open  air, 
and  some  of  the  pictures  in  this  work  were  taken 
from  horses  that  were  out  of  the  school  for  the 
first  time  in  six  months.  All  of  my  school  horses 
were  of  high  spirit,  and  all  of  them  were  very 
docile  and  obedient  in  or  out  of  the  school. 


TRAINING.  79 


CHAPTER   IV.— SUPPLING  AND   COLLECTING. 

The  trainer  should  now  proceed  to  supple  the 
horse,  and  to  teach  it  to  collect  itself.  This 
suppling  is  employed  not  only  to  overcome  by 
discipline  the  active  or  intentional  resistances 
of  the  horse,  but  to  act  also  upon  the  defences 
and  resistances  which  come  from  malformation 
in  the  animal,  when  the  weak  parts  will  be 
gradually  strengthened  and  supported,  and  the 
parts  that  are  rigid  will  be  made  pliant ;  then 
the  forces  will  be  so  collected  that  the  animal 
shall  be  given  the  best  position  from  which  to 
obey  all  the  demands  of  the  rider,  which  will  be 
conveyed  by  the  same  indications  that  the  horse 
has  learned  in  the  lessons  for  suppling  and  col- 
lecting. 

The  resistances  of  the  horse  depend  upon  the 
rigidity  of  the  muscles  of  the  head,  neck,  and 
back.  When  the  head  and  neck  have  been  made 
to  yield  to  the  bit,  and  when  the  back  has  been 
made    supple,   and    the    hind-quarters    have    been 


8o  MODERN  HORSEMANSHIP. 

made  obedient  to  the  applications  of  the  spurs, 
the  rider  may  collect  the  forces  of  the  extremi- 
ties and  take  control  of  the  mass.^ 

The  face  of  the  horse  should  always  be  about 
perpendicular  to  the  plane  of  movement,  but  the 
chin  should  never  be  drawn  in  so  much  that  the 
face  makes  less  than  a  right  angle  with  the  plane 
of  movement :  and  the  height  at  which  the  head 
should  be  carried  will  depend  upon  the  make 
of  the  animal.  When  we  come  to  describe  the 
various  processes  for  suppling  the  forehand,  it 
will  be  seen  that  some  of  the  exercises  are  em- 
ployed to  make  the  horse  lower  the  head,  others 
to  induce  its  elevation.  These  exercises  give 
to  the  rider  the  power  of  demanding  the  proper 
carriacre  of  the  head  from  the  mounted  horse. 

o 

1  The  theory  of  that  excellent  horseman,  Mons.  de  Bussigny,  is  that  the 
resistances  of  the  horse  depend  upon  the  rigidity  of  the  muscles  of  the  back, 
and  that  by  overcoming  this  we  obtain  suppleness  and  obedience  throughout ; 
but,  while  there  can  be  no  doubt  that  a  rigid  back  makes  a  rigid  and  dis- 
obedient horse,  the  head  and  neck  should  be  suppled  and  disciplined  to  the 
hand,  for  there  may  be  local  resistances  as  well  as  general.  I  have  seen  the 
horses  of  Bedouins  so  supple  under  the  saddle  that  the  back  would  bend  like 
a  piece  of  well-tempered  steel,  making  the  movements  of  the  animals  very 
light  and  elastic ;  but  the  jaw  and  neck  were  stiff,  and  badly  carried,  and 
the  severe  bit,  acting  upon  the  unyielding  parts,  often  threw  the  pace  into 
disorder,  and  caused  changes  of  leg,  cross  gallops,  etc.  The  Bedouins  I  saw 
(Sheik  Salach  Terif's  troupe)  were  brought  to  Europe  for  the  purpose  of 
giving  exhibitions,  and  I  presume  that  they  were  fair  representatives  of 
Eastern  horsemen.  As  far  as  control  over  the  actions  of  the  horse  is  con- 
cerned, there  was  nothing  shown  that  could  compare  with  the  results  of 
European  training  ;  and  I  take  it  that  the  horsemanship  of  the  Arab  of  the 
East  and  of  the  cow-boy  of  the  West  (each  admirable  perhaps  in  its  way)  are 
equally  unsuited  to  our  requirements. 


TRAINING.  8 1 

If  the  horse  be  high  and  well  developed  in  the 
forehand,  but  weak  and  deficient  in  the  hind- 
quarters, it  will  be  necessary  to  have  the  head 
carried  low  enough  to  permit  the  forces  of  the 
croup  to  be  brought  up  to  the  point  of  balance 
between  them  and  the  forces  of  the  forehand, 
or  the  forehand  will  dominate  the  croup,  or  the 
forces  of  the  croup  will  be  languid,  so  that  the 
action  in  the  latter  part  will  be  hampered  and 
constrained. 

If  the  hind-quarters  be  strong  and  high,  and 
the  forehand  low  and  heavy,  or  weak,  the  head 
of  the  horse  must  be  elevated  sufficiently  to  carry 
back  the  forces  of  the  forehand,  and  the  hind- 
legs  must  be  carried  under  the  mass  to  lower 
the  croup,  so  that  the  forces  of  the  extremities 
may  be  in  balance ;  otherwise  the  croup  will 
overpower  the  forehand,  and  the  action  of  the 
latter  will  be  dull  and  cramped. 

The  form  of  the  animal  will  suQforest  to  the 
trainer  the  kind  of  exercises  best  suited  to  it ; 
but  when  the  rider  mounts  a  horse  he  will  at 
once  know  what  is  necessary  to  bring  the  forces 
into  equilibrium.  If  the  horse  hangs  upon  the 
hand,  or  is  heavy  in  front,  the  head  should  be 
elevated  and  the  forces  of  the  forehand  carried 
back.      If    the    action    of    the     hind-quarters     be 


\ 


82  MODERN  HORSEMANSHIP. 

languid,  the  forehand  should  be  lowered,  and   the 
forces  of  the  croup  stimulated  and  carried  forward. 

If  the  back  is  arched  up  or  stiff,  we  can  have  no 
true  pliancy  in  any  part,  and  no  movement  can  be 
light,  elastic,  and  well  controlled  :  the  Arabs  say  that 
a  horse  of  '  pure  breed  '  is  naturally  supple  under  the 
saddle  (I  suppose  that  this  is  what  General  Daumas 
should  have  understood  when  he  was  told  that  the 
Arabs  rode  their  two-year-olds  until  '  the  back 
bends  ')  ;  and  we  must  find  means  of  insuring  this 
suppleness  of  the  back  in  all  horses,  except  in  such 
where  malformations  render  it  impossible. 

But  when  the  face  is  vertical,  and  the  crest 
rounded,  the  lower  jaw  pliant  and  yielding,  the 
spine  devoid  of  rigidity,  and  the  horse  seems  to 
groiu,  while  the  action  is  light,  regular,  and  even 
the  rider  will  know  that  the  forces  are  collected, 
and  in  the  best  possible  position  for  perfectly  con- 
trolled movements. 

At  the  risk  of  wearying  the  reader,  I  shall  from 
time  to  time  return  to  this  '  union  and  balance  of 
the  forces,'  for  it  must  be  thoroughly  understood 
and  kept  in  mind. 


■jr.' ■' H  VsC' 


TRAINING.  83 


CHAPTER   v.— IN  THE  SNAFFLE. 
SUPPLING  THE  FOREHAND. 

The  objects  we  shall  have  in  view  in  the  exercises 
described  in  this  and  in  the  following  chapters 
are  : — 

\st.  To  make  the  horse  habitually  carry  the  head 
in  the  position  that  will  give  the  rider  the  greatest 
control  over  the  mouth  ;  that  is,  with  the  face  about 
vertical  to  the  plane  upon  which  the  horse  moves. 

2d.  To  teach  the  horse  to  elevate  or  to  depress 
the  head,  so  that  the  rider  may  control  the  forces  of 
the  forehand  in  collecting  the  horse. 

3</.  To  cultivate  the  instinctive  obedience  of  the 
animal,  so  that  the  horse  will  yield  to  the  slightest 
touches  of  the  bit. 

\th.  To  supple  the  forehand  throughout,  so  that 
the  head,  neck,  and  shoulders  may  be  under  the 
immediate  control  of  the  rider. 

5//A  To  supple  the  back  and  the  hind-quarters, 
and  to  make  those  parts  obedient  to  the  indications 
of  the  heels,  so  that  the  hand  operating  upon  the 
forehand,  and  the  heels  upon  the  hind-quarters,  the 


84  MODERN  HORSEMANSHIP. 

controlled  forces  of  the  two  extremities  may  be 
brought  to  a  point  of  union  and  balance  under  the 
rider. 

To  make  the  horse  elevate  the  head,  the  rider 
will  separate  the  snaffle  reins,  and  draw  them  until 
he  has  a  light  feeling  upon  the  mouth  :  he  will  then 
raise  the  hands  so  that  he  can  take  light  upward 
pulls  upon  the  reins,  and  bring  the  head  of  the 
horse  as  high  as  possible,  the  face  parallel  with  the 
ground. 

From  this  exercise  he  should  bring  the  head  of 
the  horse  into  position,  by  gradually  dropping  the 
hands  and  carrying  them  towards  his  body  in  such 
a  manner  that  there  are  light  vibratory  tensions  upon 
the  reins.  When  the  horse  curves  the  crest,  and 
brings  the  face  about  vertical  to  the  ground,  the 
under  jaw  being  pliant  and  the  head  not  too  low, 
the  rider  should  release  the  tensions  upon  the  reins 
and  reward  the  horse.  This  elevating  the  head, 
and  bringing  it  into  position,  cannot  be  too  often 
practised,  and  it  is  especially  necessary  with  horses 
that  are  low  in  the  forehand. 

To  make  the  Jiorse  loiver  the  head,  the  rider  will 
draw  the  reins  until  he  has  a  light  feeling  upon 
the  mouth.  The  hands  should  then  be  held  low, 
and  a  steady  tension  be  taken  upon  the  reins :  the 
moment   the    horse  depresses   its  head,  the   hands 


'^m^t 


TRAINING.  85 

should  release  the  tensions  upon  the  reins,  and  the 
animal  should  be  rewarded.  Then,  by  a  longer 
continued  tension  upon  the  reins,  the  head  of  the 
horse  should  be  still  further  depressed,  and  the 
animal's  obedience  be  acknowledged.  By  degrees 
the  horse  can  be  taught  to  lower  the  head  to  any 
extent,  even  until  the  nose  reaches  the  orround. 

To  bend  the  head  to  the  right,  the  rider  will 
place  the  head  of  the  horse,  held  not  too  low,  with 
the  face  vertical  to  the  ground  ;  he  will  then  close 
his  legs  against  the  flanks,  the  left  a  little  more 
strongly  than  the  right,  and  draw  the  right  rein 
towards  his  body,  the  left  rein  measuring  and  con- 
trolling the  effect  of  the  right.  In  this  manner,  by 
graduated  lessons,  he  will  teach  the  horse  to  bend 
the  head  to  the  right  until  the  face,  held  vertically, 
looks  to  the  rear.  The  hands,  in  demandine  this 
bend,  should  keep  the  head  well  elevated,  and  they 
should  demand  a  pliancy  in  the  lower  jaw,  as  well 
as  an  absence  of  all  rigidity  throughout  the  neck 
and  head.  The  object  of  this  exercise  is  to  supple 
the  forehand,  and  unless  the  bend  is  accomplished 
without  rigidity,  the  lesson  loses  its  value.  The 
horse  should  not  be  permitted  of  its  own  volition 
to  carry  its  head  back  from  this  bend,  but  the  head 
and  neck  will  be  straightened  by  the  left  rein,  aided 
and  checked  by  the  right,  and  the  vertical  position 


86  ■  MODERN  HORSEMANSHIP. 

of  the  face  should  be  required  before  the  tensions 
upon  the  reins  are  released  and  the  legs  are  with- 
drawn from  the  flanks. 

In  a  similar  manner,  and  quite  as  often,  the  head 
should  be  bent  to  the  left,  right  and  left  aids  being 
interchanged. 

The  exercises  described  in  this  chapter  should  be 
given  to  the  horse  every  day,  as  long  as  the  training 
in  the  snaffle  continues  :  but  the  lessons  should  be 
varied,  so  that  the  horse  may  not  become  wearied 
or  disgusted ;  and,  in  riding  the  horse  at  this  time, 
the  rider  may  demand  a  little  more  collection  of 
the  forces  than  was  advisable  when  the  animal  was 
being  taught  to  face  the  bit. 


■    ""'V" 


TRAINING.  87 


CHAPTER   VI.— IN  THE  SNAFFLE. 

SUPPLING  THE  BACK  AND  HAUNCHES. 

The  trainer  will  next  proceed  to  supple  the  back 
and  the  haunches.  In  conducting  these  lessons, 
he  will  dismount,  and  stand,  facing  the  horse 
opposite  to  the  girths,  on  the  left  side.  In  his  left 
hand,  under  the  chin  of  the  horse,  he  will  take  both 
reins  with  a  light  tension  upon  the  bit.  With  his 
right  hand  he  will  give  some  gentle  taps  of  the 
whip  upon  the  croup,  until  the  horse  carries  the 
hind-legs  a  few  inches  further  under  the  body,  the 
left  hand  preventing  the  forehand  from  moving. 
As  soon  as  the  horse  obeys,  the  whip  taps  should 
cease,  and  the  animal  be  rewarded  with  caresses 
and  kind  words.  By  releasing  the  tension  upon 
the  reins,  and  giving  a  few  taps  of  the  whip  upon 
the  under-sides  of  the  fore-legs,  the  horse  should  be 
brought  to  a  normal  position,  and  then  be  slightly 
extended,  and  from  the  latter  position  be  again 
induced  to  carry  the  hind-legs  under  the  mass. 
The  trainer  should  be  satisfied  with  gradual  pro- 
gress, and  the  slightest  obedience  upon  the  part  of 


88  MODERN  HORSEMANSHIP. 

the  horse  should  meet  with  approval.  The  whip 
taps  must  be  of  the  lightest,  and  if  the  horse  does 
not  obey  at  once,  they  must  not  be  given  with 
greater  severity,  but  the  fore-legs  may  at  first  be 
extended  (by  whip  taps  under  the  fore-arm),  when 
the  animal  will  be  afterwards  very  willing  to  carry 
the  hind-legs  under  the  mass,  and  in  this  way  learn 
the  indications  of  the  whip  that  the  trainer  is 
desirous  of  teaching.  If  a  nervous  horse  shows  a 
disposition  to  kick  at  the  touches  of  the  whip,  it 
may  be  accustomed  to  accept  them  without  resent- 
ment by  being  patted,  from  shoulder  to  croup,  the 
whip  being  held  in  the  hand  that  gives  the  caresses  ; 
and  by  being  corrected  in  a  harsh  tone  of  voice  at 
every  attempt  to  kick. 

After  the  horse  has  carried  the  hind-legs  under 
the  body  to  a  degree  that  satisfies  the  trainer,  the 
bridle-hand  will  permit  the  forehand  to  advance 
sufficiently  to  let  the  horse  stand  at  ease. 

To  carry  the  croup  about  the  forehand,  the 
trainer  will  stand  in  the  position  described  for  the 
preceding  exercise,  and  after  collecting  the  horse 
a  little  between  the  restraint  of  the  left  hand  and 
the  taps  of  the  whip  upon  the  croup,  he  will 
transfer  the  taps  of  the  whip  to  the  left  side  of 
the  horse  just  behind  the  girths.  When  the  horse 
takes  one  step  to  the  right  with  the  hind-quarters. 


>'\ 


m 

M 


i »  ;  i».,i 


S' .  ,:.ii 


'■km 


i         o 


TRAINING.  89 

the  whip  taps  should  cease  and  the  animal  be  re- 
warded. It  should  then  be  made  to  take  another 
step  with  the  hind-legs  to  the  right,  the  trainer's 
left  hand  keeping  the  forehand  in  place.  This 
movement  of  the  croup  and  this  holding  of  the 
forehand  will  bring  the  horse  so  that  the  right  fore- 
foot will  be  slightly  in  rear  of  the  place  it  should 
occupy  with  regard  to  the  new  position  of  the  body 
of  the  horse.  The  trainer  should  therefore  give  a 
light  touch  of  the  whip  upon  the  under  side  of  the 
right  fore-arm,  and  at  the  same  time  give  a  light  play 
of  the  bit  upon  the  right  side,  to  induce  the  horse 
to  move  the  riorht  fore-foot  to  a  line  even  with  the 
left  fore-foot,  the  latter  not  being  advanced  beyond 
its  original  place.  As  the  croup  goes  about  to  the 
right,  the  right  fore-leg  will  in  this  manner  be  made 
to  conform  to  the  movement,  but  the  left  fore-foot 
kept  flat  upon  the  ground  will  be  a  rotating  pivot 
about  which  the  body  revolves.  Step  by  step  the 
the  croup  will  be  carried  about  the  forehand,  a  halt 
being  demanded  between  each  step,  so  that  the 
horse  will  learn  that  it  must  not  volunteer  a  move- 
ment, the  left  fore-foot  being  kept  upon  the  ground, 
the  right  fore-foot  moving  enough  only  to  keep  its 
proper  place  at  each  change  of  position  of  the  body 
of  the  horse.  This  movement  is  the  revei^sed pzj'oti- 
ette,  and  we  shall  shortly  see  its  importance. 


M 


90  MODERN  HORSEMANSHIP. 

In  a  similar  manner,  the  man,  standing  upon  the 
rieht  side  of  the  horse,  with  the  reins  in  his  riMit 
hand  and  the  whip  in  his  left  hand,  will  cause  the 
croup  to  be  carried  to  the  left  about  the  right  fore- 
leg as  a  pivot. 

When  the  horse  has  been  thoroughly  exercised 
in  these  lessons,  the  trainer  will  mount,  and  proceed 
to  transfer  the  powers  of  the  whip  to  the  heels. 

To  collect  the  hind-legs  2inder  the  body  of  the 
mounted  horse,  the  rider  will  take  such  a  tension 
upon  the  reins  with  his  left  hand  as  insures  him 
against  a  forward  movement,  and  with  the  whip 
held  behind  his  back  give  a  few  light  taps  upon  the 
horse's  rump  while  his  heels  close  gently  against 
the  animal's  sides.  When  the  hind-legs  are  moved 
a  little  under  the  body  the  whip  taps  should  cease, 
the  hand  should  let  the  forehand  advance  to  an 
easy  position,  and  the  legs  of  the  rider  should  be 
withdrawn  from  the  flanks.  Occasionally  the  horse 
may  be  extended  under  the  rider,  by  the  application 
of  the  whip  under  the  fore-arms,  as  that  exercise 
will  assist  in  suppling  and  in  strengthening  the 
back  ;  but  this  extension  should  not  be  practised 
too  frequently,  nor  to  such  an  extent  as  to  risk 
straining  the  muscles  of  the  loins.  By  gradual 
lessons  the  horse  should  be  made  to  carry  the  hind- 
legs    further   under    the    body    until    they    nearly 


n 


.■    >I'''.P     :    I,    1 


TRAINING.  91 

approach  the  stationary  fore-feet ;  and  as  the  horse 
learns  to  obey  the  indications  of  the  heels  the  taps  of 
the  whip  upon  the  croup  should  be  dispensed  with. 
To  teach  the  horse  to  cai-ry  the  crotcp  about  the 
forehand  at  the  demand  of  the  heel,  say  to  the  right, 
the  rider  will  first  unite  the  horse  a  little  between  a 
gentle  play  of  the  reins  and  a  slight  pressure  of  his 
legs.  Then  holding  the  reins  in  his  left  hand,  with 
an  increased  tension  upon  the  right  side  of  the 
horse's  mouth,  he  will  pass  his  right  hand  behind 
his  back  so  that  the  whip  can  rest  against  the  left 
side  of  the  horse.  Upon  that  side,  and  just  behind 
the  girths,  he  will  apply  the  whip  lightly,  at  the 
same  time  pressing  in  the  left  heel.  When  the 
horse  takes  one  step  with  the  hind-quarters  to  the 
right,  the  whip  taps  and  heel  pressure  should  cease, 
and  the  horse  be  encouraged  for  its  obedience.  It 
must  be  understood  that  the  left  fore-leg  is  to 
remain  on  the  ground,  and  that  the  right  fore-leg 
shall  move  enough  only  to  keep  in  its  proper  place 
with  regard  to  the  new  positions  of  the  body  of  the 
horse.  The  right  side  must  therefore  be  lightened 
by  an  upward  play  of  the  right  rein,  and  the  right 
fore- foot  brought  forward  by  a  tap  of  the  whip 
under  the  rio^ht  fore-arm.  In  this  manner  the  horse 
will  be  made  to  carry  the  croup  about  the  left  fore- 
leg as   pivot,  step   by  step,  the   rider's  right  heel 


92  MODERN  HORSEMANSHIP. 

being  ready  to  measure  the  effect  of  the  acting  heel 
and  to  keep  the  horse  from  volunteering  a  step,  the 
hand  keeping  the  forehand  in  place,  the  right  rein 
bending  the  head  slightly  to  the  right  and  lighten- 
ing that  side  for  the  short  steps  of  the  right  fore- 
foot. 

In  a  few  such  lessons  the  horse  should  answer 
the  application  of  the  heel  without  the  support  of 
the  whip,  when  the  use  of  the  latter  should  be  dis- 
pensed with. 

In  a  similar  manner  the  horse  should  be  tauo-ht 
to  move  the  croup  to  the  left  about  the  right  fore- 
leg as  pivot,  the  head  being  bent  slightly  to  the  left, 
the  whip  being  held  down  by  the  right  side  ready 
to  enforce  the  indications  of  the  right  heel,  while 
the  left  heel  measures  and  corrects  the  effects  of 
the  riorht. 

To  make  the  matter  more  clear  to  the  reader  I 
will  describe  the  reversed  pirouette  without  men- 
tioning how  the  aids  are  employed.  The  reversed 
pirouette  to  the  right  is  a  movement  in  which  the 
croup  is  carried  about  the  forehand,  to  the  right, 
the  left  fore-leg  acting  as  pivot,  the  other  legs 
moving  sufficiently  to  maintain  their  proper  places 
at  each  change  in  the  position  of  the  body  of  the 
horse,  the  head  of  the  horse,  held  at  a  natural  ele- 
vation with  the  face  about  vertical  to  the  ground, 


TRAINING.  93 

bent  slightly  to  the  right.  In  the  reversed  pirou- 
ette to  the  left,  the  croup  passes  to  the  left  about 
the  right  fore-leg  as  pivot,  the  head  of  the  horse 
being  bent  to  the  left. 

The  reversed  pirouettes  supple  the  whole  horse, 
teach  obedience  to  hand  and  heel,  and  form  the 
groundwork  for  every  movement  that  can  be  de- 
manded by  the  rider. 


94  MODERN  HORSEMANSHIP. 


CHAPTER  VII.— RIDING  IN  THE  SNAFFLE. 

THE  WALK— THE  TROT. 

The  horse  must  now  in  action  be  practised  in 
the  exercises  that  have  been  given  him  at  the 
hah,  as  the  standing  lessons  are  simply  to  prepare 
the  animal  for  movements. 

The  snaffle  should  still  be  the  bit  employed ;  for, 
although  the  snaffle  requires  great  skill  to  be  used 
with  the  best  effect  in  uniting  the  horse,  the  practice 
with  it  is  of  great  advantage  to  both  horse  and 
rider.  With  the  snaffle  the  rider  can  learn  how  to 
use  hand  and  heels  together  without  harassing  the 
horse  so  much  as  he  would  be  sure  to  do  with  the 
curb  bit,  and  with  the  lighter  bit  there  will  be  no 
danger  of  cramping  and  confining  the  action  of  the 
horse. 

Even  though  we  should  admit  that  a  horse  might 
carry  an  inert  burthen  without  destroying  a  natur- 
ally balanced  carriage,  the  hand  and  heels  of  an 
inexpert  rider  would  impair  the  harmony  of  its 
actions,  and  the  faulty  movements  of  an  ill-formed 


TRAINING.  95 

horse  would  be  made  worse  by  a  wrong  disposition 
of  the  weights  and  forces. 

The  rider  must  know  how  to  demand  balanced 
and  united  action  from  the  extremities  of  his 
horse,  and  how  to  remedy  natural  defects,  so 
that  such  action  may  be  produced  in  animals  that 
are  not  naturally  well  balanced.  For  until  union 
and  balance  can  be  obtained  between  the  forces 
of  the  extremities  the  rider  cannot  have  complete 
and  immediate  control  over  the  horse,  nor  can 
the  animal  move  smoothly,  lightly,  and  freely. 

The  powers  of  the  aids  in  correcting  defects  of 
conformation  are  almost  unlimited,  and  there  are 
few  animals  which  cannot  be  taught  to  carry  a  rider 
with  grace  and  lightness.  Some  of  the  most  agree- 
able horses  I  ever  rode  were  not  such  as  would, 
according  to  the  general  opinion,  be  held  suitable 
for  the  saddle.  Of  the  ill-formed  horses,  those  that 
are  low  at  the  withers  and  strong  and  high  In  the 
croup  require,  I  have  found,  the  greatest  amount  of 
labour  to  bring  to  a  satisfactory  state  of  balance; 
while  the  ewe-necked  horse,  that  tries  to  carry  Its 
head  up  In  the  rider's  face,  is  usually  taught  a  good 
bearing  without  trouble,  and,  according  to  my  ex- 
perience, they  almost  Invariably  make  very  llo-ht 
and  obedient  horses,  provided,  of  course,  that  they 
are    not  absolutely  deficient  in  the   hind-quarters. 


96  MODERN  HORSEMANSHIP. 

Whatever  faults  may  be  admitted  in  a  saddle  horse, 
weakness  in  the  back  or  croup  should  not  be  one  of 
them ;  for,  as  I  have  said,  any  defects  may  be 
remedied  to  a  certain  extent,  but  one  must  have 
carrying  and  driving  power  in  a  horse  to  obtain 
really  good  results ;  and,  while  a  horse  weak  in  the 
loins  or  in  the  hind-quarters  may  be  improved  and 
strengthened,  it  can  never  be  brought  to  compete 
with  one  that  has  not  these  faults. 

If  the  horse  be  high  and  strong  in  the  forehand, 
and  low  and  weak  in  the  croup,  the  forehand  must 
be  lowered,  and  the  forces  of  the  croup  must  be 
brought  forward,  until  the  forces  of  the  extremities 
meet  in  union  and  balance,  or  the  action  of  the 
hind-quarters  will  be  languid,  and  that  part  will  be 
a  drag  upon  the  forehand. 

If  the  horse  be  low  or  weak  in  the  forehand, 
and  high  in  the  hind-quarters,  the  forehand  must 
be  elevated,  its  forces  drawn  back,  and  the  hind- 
legs  must  be  brought  under  the  mass  until  the  croup 
is  sufficiently  lowered  to  give  balance  and  equal 
powers  to  the  forces  of  the  extremities. 

Any  position  of  the  horse  in  which  an  extremity 
throws  too  much  weight  against  the  other  must  be 
avoided.  Thus,  as  is  often  the  case  when  the  rider 
mounts,  if  the  hind-legs  are  thrust  out  so  that  they 
are   braced    against    the    forehand,    they    must    be 


TRAINING.  97 

moved  up  until  the  weight  is  equally  divided  by  the 
bearers,  and  neither  extremity  impedes  the  other. 

I  shall  not  in  the  work  in  the  snaffle  bridle  lay 
too  much  stress  upon  the  different  forms  of  collec- 
tion, because  young  riders  can  more  readily  produce 
them  with  the  curb  bit,  but  in  riding  in  the  snaffle 
the  rider  should  demand  a  fairly  good  collection 
of  the  forces,  so  that  the  horse  moves  in  a  good 
cadence  and  with  clear  and  free  action. 

To  move  the  horse  forward  In  the  walk,  the  rider 
will  draw  the  reins  until  he  has  a  feeling  upon  the 
mouth  of  the  horse.  The  legs  will  then  close 
against  the  flanks,  and  the  hands,  by  a  series  of 
gentle  vibrations,  act  against  the  horse's  mouth. 
When  the  horse  disposes  its  legs  so  that  the  weight 
is  equally  distributed  upon  the  bearers,  curves  the 
crest,  sustains  the  head  without  support  from  the 
reins,  gives  an  elastic  response  to  the  hand,  and  by 
the  movement  of  the  muscles  under  him  the  rider 
feels  that  the  impulses  are  ready,  the  animal  is  '  in 
hand,'  and  ready  to  move  forward.  The  pressure 
of  the  legs  will  be  continued,  or  if  necessary  slightly 
increased,  the  hand  will  give  sufficient  liberty,  and 
the  horse  will  move  off  in  the  walk.  In  the  early 
lessons  the  rider  should  avoid  demanding  too  close 
a  collection  ;  but  the  forehand  must  not  be  allowed 
to  get  heavy,  nor  the  hind-quarters  be  permitted  to 


98  MODERN  HORSEMANSHIP. 

drag.  Without  harassing  or  exciting  it,  the  horse 
must  be  kept  Hvely,  and  an  even,  well-cadenced 
pace  demanded.  If  the  horse  bears  upon  the  hand, 
it  must  be  made  to  elevate  the  forehand  by  upward 
pulls  upon  the  reins,  while  the  heels  bring  the  hind- 
legs  further  under  the  croup.  If  the  horse  moves 
forward  freely,  the  hand  will  take  light  touches 
upon  the  snaffle,  and  the  heels  will  be  kept  ready 
to  demand  necessary  impulses  from  the  hind-quar- 
ters. It  is  a  rule  to  be  always  observed  in  collect- 
ing the  horse,  that  the  application  of  the  heels 
should  precede  the  tension  upon  the  reins,  other- 
wise it  would  be  impossible  to  govern  the  animal's 
movements,  for  the  hand  can  restrain  the  horse  but 
cannot  prevent  it  falling  to  the  rear. 

To  turn  to  the  right,  the  horse  will  first  be  united 
more  closely,  the  right  rein  (checked  and  governed 
by  the  left  rein)  will  be  drawn  until  the  head  of  the 
horse  is  bent  in  the  proper  direction,  the  rider's 
legs  being  closed  against  the  flanks,  the  left  leg 
slightly  stronger  than  the  right,  so  that  the  croup 
shall  follow  the  path  taken  by  the  forehand. 
When  the  turn  has  been  made,  the  horse  will  be 
straightened  upon  the  new  direction,  and  the  same 
collection  observed  as  that  in  which  the  turn  was 
approached.  To  turn  to  the  left,  the  left  rein, 
supported  and  measured  by  the  right,  will   direct 


TRAINING.  99 

the  forehand,  while  the  right  heel  will,  by  a  slightly- 
increased  pressure,  keep  the  croup  upon  the  path 
taken  by  the  forehand,  so  that  the  body  of  the  horse 
conforms  to  the  turn.  To  bring  the  horse  to  a  halt, 
the  legs  will  quietly  close  against  the  body  of  the 
horse,  and  the  hands  be  drawn  towards  the  rider's 
body.  When  the  horse  comes  to  a  halt,  the  tension 
upon  the  reins  will  be  relaxed  and  the  legs  be 
withdrawn  from  the  flanks. 

To  put  the  horse  into  the  trot,  it  should  first  be 
put  into  the  walk ;  it  should  then  be  collected 
between  a  light  pressure  of  the  legs  and  a  tension 
upon  the  reins,  until  the  rider  feels  that  the  animal 
is  going  more  strongly  under  him,  and  that  the 
motions  of  the  hind- quarters  are  more  vigorous. 
The  rider's  legs,  aided  if  necessary  by  a  tap  of  the 
whip,  delivered  behind  the  girths,  should  then 
demand  increased  impulses,  while  the  hand  gives 
liberty  for  an  advance  to  be  made  at  the  required 
speed.  This  should  not  at  first  be  very  great,  as 
the  slow  trot  is  the  best  possible  action  in  which 
to  practise  the  collection  of  the  extremities,  and 
when  a  more  rapid  trot  is  desired,  it  should  be  by 
gradually  increasing  the  rate  of  speed.  In  a  strong 
but  slow  trot  the  rider  should  maintain  a  regular 
rate  of  speed,  demanding  various  gradations  of 
collection  as  he  best  can,  but  always  having  in  view 


lOO  MODERN  HORSEMANSHIP. 

clear  and  free  paces.  To  bring  the  horse  to  a 
halt  from  the  trot,  the  rider's  legs  should  first  close 
against  the  animal's  sides  and  the  tension  upon  the 
reins  be  increased  until  the  animal  comes  into  a 
walk,  and  then  from  the  walk  the  halt  should  be 
procured  as  before  explained.  In  increasing  the 
speed,  or  in  decreasing  the  speed,  in  any  pace,  the 
legs  should  always  act  before  the  hand,  so  that  by 
first  demanding  impulses  from  the  croup,  the  hand 
shall  always  have  something  to  deal  with. 

In  the  walk  and  in  the  slow  trot  the  horse  should 
be  ridden  in  straight  lines,  upon  circumferences  of 
various  diameters,  and  in  figures  of  8 ;  and  for  at 
least  a  few  minutes  each  day  the  animal  should 
be  put  into  a  good  brisk  trot,  as  rapid  as  proves 
consistent  with  cadenced  action,  in  which  neither 
extremity  is  given  too  much  preponderance.  That 
is,  the  impulses  from  the  croup  must  not  be  so  great 
as  to  throw  the  weights  upon  the  forehand,  nor 
must  the  forehand  be  so  elevated,  or  its  forces  be 
so  far  carried  back,  as  to  impede  the  action  of  the 
hind-quarters. 

During  these  lessons  the  horse  should  be  prac- 
tised in  bending  the  head  to  the  right  and  to  the 
left  in  the  walk,  the  heels  being  held  close  to  the 
animal's  sides  to  keep  the  body  straight,  the  heel 
opposite  to  the  side  to  which  the   bend   is   made 


TRAINING.  lOI 

being  a  little  stronger  in  its  action  than  the  other. 
In  these  bends  the  head  of  the  horse  must  be  kept 
at  a  proper  elevation,  and  there  must  be  no  rigidity 
in  any  part ;  for  if  the  horse  bends  the  head  in 
a  stiff  and  constrained  manner,  the  object  of  the 
exercise  has  not  been  accomplished,  and  in  place 
of  yielding  to  a  discipline  that  tends  to  produce 
suppleness  and  absolute  obedience,  the  horse  is  only 
waiting  for  an  opportunity  of  resisting  with  success. 

From  the  walk,  and  from  the  trot,  the  horse 
may  from  time  to  time  be  brought  to  the  halt,  and, 
after  a  closer  collection,  be  made  to  perform  the 
reversed  pirouette  to  either  hand,  the  horse  being 
straightened  and  the  pace  being  resumed  (in  the 
manner  before  described)  when  the  horse  faces  the 
direction  from  which  it  has  approached  the  point 
where  the  turn  has  been  made. 

Whenever  fresh  impulses  are  demanded  from  the 
croup  the  hand  must  receive  them,  and  measure 
their  effects.  So  in  taking  the  walk  from  a  halt,  or 
the  trot  from  a  walk,  the  hand  first  relaxes  its 
tension  until  the  impulse  is  secured,  and  then 
meets  the  impulse. 


I02  MODERN  HORSEMANSHIP. 


CHAPTER   VIII.— RIDING  IN  THE  SNAFFLE. 

SHO  ULDER-IN—  TRA  VERS—KENVERS. 

The  movements  to  either  hand  upon  two  paths 
confirm  the  horse  in  obedience  to  the  aids,  give 
the  rider  power  to  keep  the  horse  straight  (which 
is  not  so  simple  a  matter  as  one  might  think)  by 
rendering  it  supple  and  submissive,  form  the 
groundwork  for  the  gallop,  and  give  excellent 
practice  In  the  combined  use  of  hand  and  legs. 

For  a  long  time  I  was  doubtful  whether  '  shoulder- 
in  '  was  necessary  for  horses  that  were  taught  to 
bend  the  head  in  proceeding  on  single  lines,  and 
that  were  also  thoroughly  drilled  in  traversing ;  but 
with  some  horses  I  find  that  shoulder-in  is  essential, 
and  I  now  believe  that  all  horses  would  be  better 
for  the  movement. 

In  shoulde7'-in  the  croup  of  the  horse  is  next  to 
the  wall  upon  one  path,  the  forehand  slighdy  in 
advance  of  the  croup  upon  a  parallel  path,  the  body 
of  the  horse  being  diagonally  across  the  line  of 
movement,  the  head  slightly  turned  away  from  the 


JSSGf 


ipv*'" 


TRAINING.  103 

direction  in  which  the  horse  q-qcs,  the  inner  fore-lee 
and  the  inner  hind-leg  passing  in  front  of  the  outer 
fore-leg  and  outer  hind-leg  respectively. 

To  make  the  horse  pass  with  its  left  side  in 
advance  (right  shoulder  in),  the  rider  will  put  the 
animal  into  a  walk,  his  left  hand  being  next  to  the 
wall.  He  will  then  collect  the  animal,  increase  the 
pressures  of  the  right  heel  and  the  tension  upon  the 
right  rein  until  the  head  is  slightly  bent  away  from 
the  direction  of  the  movement,  while  the  left  heel 
and  the  left  rein  measure  and  control  the  effects  of 
their  corresponding  aids.  By  careful  applications  of 
the  aids  (the  accentuated  pressures  of  the  right  heel 
beinor  alven  as  the  left  fore-lee  is  beinpf  extended  in 
each  stride,  to  support  its  action  and  hasten  the 
action  of  the  right  hind-leg,  the  impulses  being 
received  on  both  reins)  the  horse  will  be  made  to 
pass  along  to  the  left  upon  two  paths — the  forehand, 
slightly  in  advance  of  the  croup,  being  upon  the  path 
furthest  from  the  wall,  the  croup  upon  the  path  next 
to  the  wall,  the  head  slightly  bent  to  the  right,  the 
right  fore-leg  and  the  right  hind-leg  passing  in 
front  of  the  left  fore-leg  and  the  left  hind-leg.  In 
changing  direction  to  the  right  (that  is,  the  horse 
still  moving  to  the  left,  but  making  the  turn  that 
would  be  to  the  right  were  the  animal  advancing 
upon  a  single  path),  the  forehand  must  be  slightly 


I04  MODERN  HORSEMANSHIP. 

retarded,  so  that  the  body  of  the  horse  will  at  every 
point  on  the  turn  hold  the  same  relative  positions  to 
the  two  paths,  the  croup  going-  upon  the  path  of  the 
larger  outer  circumference,  the  forehand  upon  the 
path  of  the  smaller  inner  circumference,  the  body  of 
the  horse  making  by  successive  steps  a  series  of 
radii  from  the  common  centre  of  the  two  circum- 
ferences. When  the  change  of  direction  has  been 
made  the  forehand  will  move  on  the  new  line  in 
unison  with  the  croup,  the  body  of  the  horse  being 
diagonally  across  the  paths  of  the  movement.  The 
essence  of  shoulder-in  is  that  the  forehand  is 
towards  the  centre  of  the  ma^iege,  with  the  head 
bent  away  from  the  direction  in  which  the  horse 
moves,  so  that  in  all  changes  of  direction  the  croup 
must  follow  the  circumferences  of  the  larger  circles. 
Contra  shoulder-in  is  a  similar  movement,  in  which 
the  chanofes  of  direction  are  made  with  the  fore- 
hand  following  the  outer  larger  circumferences,  the 
croup  upon  the  smaller  inner  circumferences  being 
retarded  so  that  the  body  of  the  horse  shall  at  every 
point  of  the  turn  hold  its  proper  position  with 
regard  to  the  two  lines.  Of  course  upon  straight 
lines  shoulder-in  and  contra  sho2ilder-in  are  identical, 
but  when  the  croup  is  next  to  the  wall  the  move- 
ment is  always  denominated  shoitlder-in  ;  when  the 
forehand  is  next  the  wall  it   is  always  spoken   of 


TRAINING.  105 

as  contra  sJiouldej^-iii.  Left  sJioidder-in  (the  horse 
advancing  with  its  right  side,  its  head  bent  to  the 
left)  is  demanded  in  the  same  manner,  right  and 
left  aids  being  interchanged. 

Travers  and  Re7ivers  are  other  two  movements 
upon  the  two  paths  to  either  side,  and  they  are 
identical  except  that  in  the  first-named  the  fore- 
hand follows  the  greater  circumference  at  the  turns, 
while  in  renvers  the  croup  follows  the  greater  cir- 
cumference in  changing  direction.  If  a  horse 
should  pass  through  the  middle  of  the  School  upon 
two  paths,  no  one  could  say  whether  it  was  in 
travers  or  renvers  until  it  came  to  the  change  of 
direction,  and  as  the  aids  are  used  in  precisely  the 
same  way,  I  should  not  have  recognised  the  distinc- 
tion were  it  not  that  it  is  occasionally  convenient  to 
use  terms  which  save  descriptions  of  movements. 

In  travers,  or  head  to  the  wall,  the  horse  passes 
to  either  hand  upon  two  paths,  the  forehand  upon 
one  path  slightly  in  advance  of  the  croup  which  is 
upon  the  other  path,  the  fore-leg  and  hind-leg  of  the 
side  opposite  to  that  with  which  the  horse  is  leading 
passing  in  front  of  the  fore-leg  and  of  the  hind-leg 
respectively  of  the  other  side,  the  head  bent  in  the 
direction  of  the  movement. 

To   put  the   horse  in  travers  to  the  right,   the 

rider  will  move  it  forward  at  a  walk,  having  the 

o 


I06  MODERN  HORSEMANSHIP. 

wall  Upon  his  left  hand.  He  will  then  unite  the 
horse  more  closely,  bend  the  head  slightly  to  the 
right,  and  apply  the  left  heel  to  bring  the  croup  to 
the  right,  and  between  the  aids  move  the  horse  to 
the  right  upon  two  paths,  the  forehand  slightly  in 
advance  of  the  croup,  so  that  the  left  fore-leg  may 
pass  in  front  of  the  right  fore-leg,  the  left  hind-leg 
in  front  of  the  right  hind-leg.  The  right  snaffle 
rein,  supported  and  its  effects  measured  by  the  left 
snaffle  rein,  will  conduct  the  forehand,  and  demand 
the  bend  of  the  head  and  neck  ;  the  left  heel  will 
demand  the  position  of  the  body,  and  keep  up  the 
impulses  ;  while  the  right  heel  measures  its  effects, 
keeps  the  croup  from  going  over  too  far,  and 
prevents  the  horse  falling  back  from  the  line  of 
movement.  In  chano;ino:  direction  to  the  rio^ht,  the 
forehand  will  follow  the  circumference  of  the 
larger  circle,  while  the  croup  upon  the  circumference 
of  the  smaller  circle  will  be  retarded,  so  that  the 
body  of  the  horse  may  hold  the  same  position  with 
reference  to  the  two  paths  at  every  point  of  the 
turn  [see  Diagram).  When  the  change  of  direction 
has  been  made,  the  forehand  and  the  croup  will 
move  in  unison,  the  body  of  the  horse  being  diagon- 
ally across  the  parallel  paths,  the  forehand  slightly 
in  advance  of  the  croup. 

T/ie  travel's  to  the  left  will  be  made  in  exactly 


RENVERS. 


TRAINING.  107 

the  same  manner,  rlMit  and  left  aids  beino-  inter- 
changed. 

Renvei^s  is,  as  I  have  said,  precisely  the  same 
movement  as  travej's,  and  is  produced  by  the  same 
means,  the  distinction  being  that  in  the  changes 
of  direction  the  croup  follows  the  outside  path  of 
greater  circumference,  while  the  forehand  on  the 
inner  lesser  circumference  is  retained  so  that  the 
body  of  the  horse  will  hold  its  proper  position  with 
regard  to  the  two  parallel  paths  at  every  point  of 
the  turn.  If  a  horse  moving  upon  two  paths,  its 
head  bent  in  the  direction  of  the  movement,  have 
its  croup  to  the  wall,  it  is  said  to  be  in  renvers ;  if 
it  have  the  head  to  the  wall,  it  is  in  travers :  if,  in 
changing  direction,  the  croup  follows  the  outer 
circumference,  it  is  in  7'envers ;  if  the  forehand 
follow  the  outer  circumference  at  the  turns,  it  is  in 
tj^avers.  In  renvers  and  in  travers,  as  in  shoulder- 
in,  the  accentuated  action  of  the  rider's  heel  or  leg 
that  demands  the  movement  should  be  given  as  the 
opposite  fore-leg  of  the  horse  is  being  extended,  to 
support  the  action  of  the  fore-leg  and  hasten  the 
action  of  its  diagonally  disposed  hind-leg,  and  so  to 
prepare  the  horse  for  the  side  movements  upon  two 
paths  in  the  united  trot  and  in  the  passage,  and  the 
impulses  so  produced  should  be  met  by  both  reins. 
That    is,   in  passing  to  the   right    the   accentuated 


I08  MODERN  HORSEMANSHIP. 

pressure  of  the  left  heel  should  be  given  as  the  right 
fore-leg  of  the  horse  is  raised  in  each  stride.  In  all 
the  movements  upon  two  paths  the  fore-leg  and  the 
hind-leg  of  the  side  opposite  to  that  with  w^hich  the 
horse  is  leading  pass  in  front  of  the  fore-leg  and  the 
hind-leg,  respectively,  of  the  other  side. 

At  first  these  movements  should  be  made  only  at 
the  walk,  and  with  the  wall  to  aid  the  rider  in  keep- 
ing his  horse  true  to  the  line  of  movement ;  but 
after  the  animal  becomes  obedient  to  hand  and  heel 
it  should  be  made  to  pass  in  circles  of  various 
diameters,  and  in  other  figures,  as  well  as  upon 
straight  lines,  and  it  should  be  changed  from 
renvers  to  fravers,  from  tj'avers  to  renvers,  care 
being  taken  that  the  proper  bend  is  always  main- 
tained, and  that  the  body  of  the  horse  always  holds 
its  true  position  across  the  paths  of  the  movement 
whatever  be  the  form  of  the  line  that  is  followed. 

In  further  explanation  of  these  movements  the 
reader  is  referred  to  the  illustrations  of  travers, 
renvers,  and  shoulder-in,  and  to  the  diao-ram. 


TRAINING.  109 


CHAPTER  IX.— IN  THE  DOUBLE-REINED 
BRIDLE. 

'IN  HAND'  IN  PIACE  AND  IN  ACTION-'  THE  UNION'— 
'THE  POISE,'  OR  HALF-HALT—  THE  HALT—  THE 
WALK— THE  TROT— INDIRECT  INDICATIONS  OF  THE 
CURB  REINS. 

The  foundations  of  the  education  of  the  horse 
having  been  laid  by  the  work  in  the  snaffle  bridle, 
it  is  time  to  put  on  the  double-reined  bridle,  and 
by  carefully  conducted  lessons  to  make  the  horse 
so  supple  and  submissive  throughout  every  part 
that  the  mass  will  be  under  the  immediate  and 
exact  control  of  the  rider.  xA.ll  of  these  applica- 
tions of  the  aids  are  founded  upon  the  idea  that 
by  cultivating  the  instinctive  muscular  actions  that 
follow  their  tcse  we  obtain  obedience  to  the  rider  s 
dei7iand  instinctively.  The  horse  so  trained  does 
not  know  how  to  refuse  obedience,  and  no  aid  is 
ever  employed  without  a  certain  object  in  view, 
and  without  the  certainty  of  producing  the  desired 
effect.  The  advantage  of  such  a  course  over  the 
thoughtless  and  severe  use  of  whip  and  spur  that 
is    too    often    made    bv    horse-breakers    should  be 


no  MODERN  HORSEMANSHIP. 

apparent  to  every  one,  and  yet  those  who  follow 
a  system  in  training  horses  for  the  saddle  are  but 
few  compared  with  those  who  undertake  to  control 
those  nervous  animals  through  force  and  fear. 

I  will  first  describe  the  horse  *  in  hand '  in  place, 
as  that  is  the  state  of  collection  in  which  it  should 
habitually  be  placed  before  being  moved  away ; 
but  it  may  be  that  the  rider  cannot  bring  the 
standing  horse  perfectly  '  in  hand '  until  it  has  had 
some  preparatory  discipline  in  action.  For  the 
impulses  that  are  generated  in  action  greatly  assist 
the  hand  in  collecting  the  forces,  and  after  a  few 
lessons  in  the  walk  and  in  the  trot  in  the  curb  bit, 
the  rider  should  find  no  trouble  in  bringing  the 
horse  '  in  hand  '  at  the  halt. 

The  horse  being  in  the  double-reined  bridle,  the 
rider  should  mount,  and  with  the  snaffle  reins  he 
should  place  the  head  at  the  proper  elevation.  He 
should  then  close  his  leo-s  a^-ainst  the  sides  of  the 
horse,  and  draw  the  curb  reins,  held  at  equal 
lengths,  in  vibratory  motions  towards  his  body. 
When  the  horse  curves  the  crest,  holds  the  face 
about  vertical  to  the  ground,  supports  the  head 
without  assistance  from  the  reins,  and  has  a  pliant 
jaw  at  the  touches  of  the  bit,  the  weight  being 
equally  distributed  upon  the  bearers,  and  the 
working  of  the  muscle  under  the  rider  showing  him 


^  -m- 


TRAINING.  I  I  I 

that  the  Impulses  are  alert,  the  horse  is  '  in  hand,' 
and  is  ready  to  move  in  any  direction.^ 

To  move  the  horse  forward,  the  pressure  of  the 
legs  will  be  slightly  increased,  and  the  hand  should 
give  sufficient  liberty  for  the  animal  to  advance  in 
the  walk,  the  legs  being  withdrawn  from  the  sides 
when  the  first  impulses  of  action  have  been  met  by 
the  hand  and  the  pace  established. 

Between  gentle  applications  of  the  aids  the  horse 
should  be  kept  *  in  hand  '  in  the  walk,  the  impulses 
being  demanded  by  the  legs  and  met  and  measured 
by  the  hand.  The  pace  should  be  light,  even,  and 
free.  If  the  horse  hangs  upon  the  hand,  the  fore- 
hand should  be  elevated  by  the  snaffle  reins,  the 
forces  of  the  croup  having  been  brought  up  by  the 
heels.  If  the  horse  elevates  the  head  too  much, 
and  hangs  back,  the  heels  will  demand  more  vigor- 
ous impulses,  and  the  hand  should  be  lowered 
while  the  tension  upon  the  reins  should  be  slightly 
relaxed. 

To  brine  the  horse  to  a  halt,  the  le^s  will  close 
against  the  sides,  the  tension  upon  the  reins  will 
be  quietly  increased  ;  and  when  the  horse  stops,  the 
hand,  and  then  the  legs,  will  cease  to  act. 


^  It  must  be  understood  that  the  horse  in  place  can  maintain  any  form  of 
collection  but  for  a  moment,  as  an  impulse  from  the  croup  is  necessary  to 
render  'in  hand,'  '  in  union,'  or  '  in  poise  '  perfectly  ;  and  when  this  impulse 
is  lost  the  horse  is  no  longer  lisrht. 


112  MODERN  HORSEMANSHIP. 

To  put  the  horse  into  a  trot  from  the  walk,  the 
horse  should  first  be  a  little  more  closely  united  ; 
the  legs  will  then  demand  increased  impulses,  and 
the  hand  will  give  sufficient  liberty  for  the  animal 
to  advance  at  the  desired  rate  of  speed,  the  legs 
beinof  withdrawn  after  the  hand  has  met  these 
impulses  and  established  the  trot.  Between  the 
aids  the  trot  should  be  maintained  in  a  bold,  free, 
and  even  cadence,  the  extremities  of  the  horse 
well  balanced,  the  jaw  pliant,  the  horse  springing 
from  a  pair  of  diagonally  disposed  legs  at  each 
stride. 

To  bring  the  horse  from  the  trot  to  the  halt,  the 
le^s  will  first  be  closed  ao^ainst  its  sides,  and  the 
hand  will  take  an  increased  tension  upon  the  reins 
until  the  animal  comes  to  the  walk,  when  it  will  be 
brought  to  a  stop  in  the  manner  before  described. 

A  slow  but  bold  trot  is  the  best  pace  in  which  to 
practise  the  horse  in  the  collection  of  the  forces,  as 
the  animal  is  then  more  ready  to  answer  the  heels 
with  increased  impulses,  which  give  the  hand  some- 
thing to  work  with. 

In  riding  in  the  double-reined  bridle  I  suggest 
the  following  mode  of  holding  the  reins  for  the 
early  lessons.  The  curb  reins,  held  in  the  left  hand, 
divided  by  the  little  finger,  the  loose  ends  of  the 
reins  carried  through  the  hand,  and  held  fast  by  the 


TRAINING.  I  I  3 

thumb  against  the  forefinger,  the  hand  held  high 
or  low  as  the  horse  requires  the  head  to  be  elevated 
or  lowered,  the  thumb  pointing  towards  the  horse's 
ears.  The  right  hand,  carried  above  the  left  hand, 
should  hold  the  snaffle  reins ;  and  when  it  is 
necessary  to  employ  the  latter,  the  left  hand  will 
for  the  moment  release  the  tension  upon  the  curb 
reins,  the  tension  upon  the  curb  reins  being  resumed 
when  the  snaffle  reins  cease  to  act. 

We  must  now  begin  to  teach  the  horse  the 
indirect  indications  of  the  curb  reins,  although  the 
horse  must  always  be  obedient  to  the  direct  indica- 
tions of  the  curb  bit  as  well  as  of  the  snaffle.  But, 
as  I  shall  explain,  the  direct  and  the  indirect 
indications  of  the  curb  reins  are  not  incompatible, 
and  if  the  latter  only  are  taught  there  is  danger  of 
the  horse  mistaking  the  meaning  of  a  direct  touch 
upon  the  curb  reins. 

To  turn  the  horse  to  the  right,  the  right  snaffle 
rein,  supported  and  its  effects  measured  by  the 
left  snaffle  rein,  will  begin  the  turn,  and  as  soon 
as  the  head  bends  in  the  new  direction  the  left  hand 
will  be  carried  to  the  right  so  that  the  left  curb 
rein  will  take  a  tension  against  the  left  side  of  the 
neck  of  the  horse  :  this  interposition  of  the  neck  will 
give  to  the  curb  bit  an  indication  similar  to  the 
direct  tension  upon  the  snaffle  rein.     As  soon   as 

p 


114  MODERN  HORSEMANSHIP. 

the  change  has  been  effected  the  snaffle  reins  will 
straighten  the  horse,  and  the  even  tension  upon  the 
curb  reins  be  resumed. 

In  the  same  way  the  turn  to  the  left  will  be 
begun  by  the  left  snaffle  rein,  supported  and  its 
effects  measured  by  the  right  snaffle  rein,  and  then 
the  left  hand  will  be  carried  to  the  left  until  the 
right  curb  rein  takes  a  tension  against  the  right  side 
of  the  neck  of  the  horse.  The  snaffle  reins  will 
straighten  the  horse  after  the  change  of  direction 
has  been  made,  and  then  the  even  tensions  upon 
the  curb  reins  will  be  resumed. 

Of  course,  in  these,  and  in  all  other  changes  of 
direction  upon  single  lines,  the  horse  will  first  be 
prepared  by  a  closer  collection,  and  the  outside  heel 
will  keep  the  croup  upon  the  path  followed  by  the 
forehand. 

In  the  walk,  and  in  the  trot,  the  horse  should 
be  made  to  change  direction  in  this  manner,  and 
to  pass  in  circles  of  various  diameters  and  in 
various  figures,  the  same  principles  being  observed. 
Gradually  the  introductory  direct  indication  of  the 
snaffle  reins  may  be  reduced  and  finally  dispensed 
with,  the  curb  reins  alone  being  used  in  changing 
direction,  when  the  curb  reins  should  be  employed 
in  the  following  manner, — still  held  in  the  left  hand, 
the  thumb  pointing  towards  the  ears  of  the  horse. 
To  turn  to  the  rio^ht,  the  bridle  hand  will  be  turned 


TRAINING.  I  I  5 

SO  that  the  thumb  points  to  the  rider's  right  shoulder, 
which  gives  a  direct  indication  of  the  right  curb 
rein ;  the  hand  is  then  carried  to  the  right  so  that 
the  left  curb  rein  has  a  tension  against  the  left 
side  of  the  horse's  neck,  which  gives  an  indication 
similar  in  effect  to  that  already  made  by  the  right 
curb  rein.  When  the  change  of  direction  has  been 
made,  the  hand  should  be  brought  back,  and  an 
even  tension  taken  upon  the  two  curb  reins. 

To  turn  to  the  left,  the  left  hand  should  be 
turned  so  that  the  thumb  points  towards  the  ground 
over  the  left  shoulder  of  the  horse  :  this  gives  a 
direct  tension  upon  the  left  curb  rein.  The  hand 
should  then  be  carried  to  the  left,  so  that  the  right 
curb  rein  takes  a  tension  against  the  right  side  of 
the  horse's  neck,  which  will  give  an  indication 
similar  in  effect  to  that  made  by  the  direct  tension 
upon  the  left  curb  rein.  When  the  change  of 
direction  has  been  effected,  the  hand  should  be 
carried  back,  and  an  even  tension  taken  upon  the 
two  curb  reins. 

When  the  curb  reins  are  used  in  this  manner, 
the  snaffle  reins  may  also  be  held,  loosely,  in  the 
left  hand,  divided  by  the  middle  finger,  the  right 
hand  being  ready  to  take  them  up  in  assisting  the 
bridle  hand  ;  or  the  snaffle  reins  may  be  carried  in 
the  right  hand,  held  over  the  bridle  hand. 

By  a  little  practice,  the  horse  may  be  taught  to 


Il6  MODERN  HORSEMANSHIP. 

elevate  or  to  depress  the  head  by  means  of  the 
curb  reins  in  exactly  the  same  manner  as  with 
the  snaffle  reins ;  and  this  practice  is  essential, 
as  a  thoroughly  trained  horse  should  be  managed 
by  the  curb  reins  independently  of  the  snaffle, 
although  it  is  always  safe  to  have  the  latter  in 
case  of  need. 

We  have  described  the  state  of  collection  known 
as  '  in  hand,'  and  habitually  the  horse  should  be 
ridden  *  in  hand ' ;  but  there  are  occasions  when  a 
closer  union  must  be  demanded,  and  now  is  the 
time  to  teach  these  to  the  horse. 

As  I  have  said,  a  slow  trot  gives  the  best  con- 
ditions for  uniting  the  forces  of  the  horse.  The 
rider  should  from  time  to  time  put  the  horse  into 
a  very  slow,  even  trot,  in  hand,  and  then  between 
hand  and  heels  demand  a  closer  collection  and  a 
better  balance  of  the  forces.  When  the  crest  is 
curved,  the  jaw  is  pliant,  the  muscles  of  the  neck 
swell  and  play,  the  horse  seems  to  grow  under  the 
rider,  and  the  pace  is  one  in  which,  with  bold  and 
high  action,  each  pair  of  diagonally  disposed  legs 
work  in  perfect  unison,  the  horse  is  '  in  union,'  the 
hiofhest  form  of  collection  consistent  with  motion. 
This  '  shortened  trot '  will  be  fatiguing  to  the  horse, 
and  it  should,  after  a  short  time,  be  permitted  to 
go  'in  hand,'  and  afterwards   be  rested.      In  this 


i 


i 


TRAINING.  117 

'  shortened  trot'  the  increased  action  takes  place  more 
under  the  body  than  is  the  case  where  the  increased 
impulses  are  permitted  to  go  into  speed  ;  and  the 
movement  is  light,  easy,  and  graceful.  In  it  the 
horse  should  be  ridden  in  circles  and  in  other 
figures,  as  well  as  upon  straight  lines,  and  the 
animal  should  be  practised  into  going  into  '  the 
union '  from  '  in  hand  '  and  back  acrain  '  in  hand.' 

It  will  be  understood  that  when  the  equilibrium 
between  the  forces  is  perfectly  established  no 
motion  can  take  place  in  any  direction,  and  this 
union  and  balance  of  the  forces  is  often  necessary  ; 
for  example,  if  the  horse  be  advancing  in  the  trot 
upon  a  straight  line,  and  the  rider  wishes  to  return 
upon  the  same  line,  he  will  demand  the  equilibrium 
of  the  forces,  make  a  reversed  pirouette,  and  resume 
the  trot  back  upon  the  path  by  which  he  has  come 
before  the  horse  gets  heavy  or  goes  out  of  hand. 
We  shall  call  this  equilibrium  of  the  forces  '  the 
poise,'  and  it  can  be  produced  by  putting  the  horse 
into  the  '  shortened  trot,'  and  then  by  uniting  the 
forces  so  closely  that  the  animal  comes  to  a  momen- 
tary halt.  Before  the  legs  that  are  flexed  when  this 
momentary  halt  takes  place  are  planted  the  heels 
demand  increased  impulses,  the  hand  gives  sufficient 
liberty  for  the  horse  to  move  forward,  and  the 
shortened  trot  is  resumed.     This  momentary  halt. 


Il8  MODERN  HORSEMANSHIP. 

or  poise,  is  called  the  half-halt,  and  we  shall  see  its 
uses  hereafter.  The  horse  may  be  brought  to  the 
full  halt  from  the  poise,  or  half-halt,  if  the  rider 
does  not  demand  increased  impulses  at  the  moment 
the  poise  is  effected,  when,  by  releasing  the  tension 
upon  the  reins  and  withdrawing  the  pressure  of  the 
legs,  the  horse  comes  to  a  rest. 

The  horse  should  receive  much  practice  in  these 
different  forms  of  collection — first  in  the  trot,  and 
then  in  the  walk,  being  put  '  in  hand,'  then  in  '  the 
union,'  then  collected  to  'the  poise,'  then  in  the 
'  union,'  and  so  on. 

After  it  has  been  confirmed  in  obedience  to  the 
aids  while  in  action,  the  different  forms  of  collection 
should  be  practised  in  place.  We  have  described 
'  in  hand '  in  place  ;  '  the  union  '  is  simply  a  closer 
collection.  Then  between  hand  and  heels  the 
forces  may  be  brought  to  such  a  point  of  union  and 
balance  that,  while  the  crest  is  curved,  the  neck  is 
swollen,  and  the  jaw  is  pliant,  the  base  of  support 
will  be  so  small  and  unstable  that  some  movement 
must  take  place,  for  the  tension  of  the  nervous  and 
muscular  systems  is  so  great  that '  the  poise  '  cannot 
be  maintained  in  perfection  beyond  a  few  moments. 


TRAINING.  119 


CHAPTER  X.—  THE   GALLOP  AND   THE   GALLOP 
CHANGES. 

The  horse  is  now  prepared  for  the  gallop,  for, 
although  it  is  usual  to  teach  the  gallop  in  the 
snaffle,  I  find  that  my  horses  go  much  more  truly 
and  evenly  if  I  delay  the  lesson  in  that  pace  until 
they  have  been  taught  the  movements  upon  two 
paths,  and  have  been  practised  in  the  different 
forms  of  collection. 

The  gallop  is  a  pace  of  three  or  four  beats  (de- 
pending upon  the  state  of  collection  of  the  forces 
and  upon  the  rate  of  speed),  with  a  leap  from  a 
fore-foot  at  each  stride.  The  horse  goes  into  air 
from  a  fore-foot ;  it  then  plants  the  opposite  hind- 
leg  ;  it  then  brings  the  other  hind-leg  to  the  ground, 
and,  at  about  the  same  time,  or  afterwards  (de- 
pending upon  whether  it  is  a  y  tempo  gallop  or  one 
of  four  beats),  it  plants  the  fore-foot  opposite  to  this 
second  planted  hind-foot  :  it  then  brings  the  fore- 
foot to  the  ground  from  which  it  went  into  air  ;  and 
from  the  last-named  again  leaves  the  ground  for  a 
new  stride. 


[  20  MODERN  HORSEMANSHIP. 

The  ordinary  gallop  of  a  horse  '  in  hand '  is  the 
2y-tempo  gallop,  in  which  the  second  planted  hind- 
leg  and  its  diagonally  disposed  fore-leg  come  to  the 
ground  about  the  same  time,  making  one  beat. 

When  a  horse  is  more  extended,  as  In  the  hunt 
gallop  and  in  the  racing  gallop,  there  is  an  interval 
between  the  planting  of  the  second  hind-leg  and  its 
diagonally  disposed  fore-leg,  and  we  have  a  pace  of 
four  beats. 

In  the  '  shortened  gallop'  (or  the  school  gallop, 
as  it  Is  sometimes  called),  the  horse  is  so  united  and 
supported  that  the  second  hind-leg  is  planted  under 
the  centre  of  gravity  before  its  diagonally  disposed 
fore-foot  comes  to  the  ground,  and  we  have  another 
example  of  four  beats. 

If  the  legs  of  the  right  side  take  the  advanced 
strides,  the  horse  is  said  to  be  in  gallop  right. 

If  the  legs  of  the  left  side  take  the  advanced 
strides,  the  horse  is  said  to  be  in  gallop  left. 

If  the  legs  of  the  forehand  and  the  legs  of  the 

hind-quarters    have  different  strides.    It    is   a  cross 

gallop.     That   is,  if  the  forehand   has  gallop  right 

(or  left)  and  the  hind-quarters  horse  gallop  left  (or 

right)  the  horse  is  In  '  cross  gallop,'  and  is  wrong. 

If  in  turning  to  the  right  the  horse  is  in  gallop 
left,  or  in  turning  to  the  left  the  horse  is  in  gallop 
right,  the  animal  xs  false  \  unless  the  rider  demanded 


TRAINING.  12  1 

the  movement  intentionally,  when  it  is  contra 
gallop. 

The  horse  in  the  cross  gallop  Is  also  said  to  be 

false  ;  for  instance,  if,  in  changing  from  gallop  right 

(or  left)  to  gallop  left  (or  right)  one  extremity  fails 

to  make  the   change,  the   horse   is  false   until   the 

fault  is  corrected. 

The  horse  takes  the  gallop  from  the  halt,  the 
walk,  or  the  trot,  by  placing  the  weights  upon  the 
forehand,  and  by  then  planting  a  hind-leg  under 
the  centre  of  gravity ;  and  from  the  time  this  hind- 
leg  is  planted  the  horse  is  in  some  form  of  the 
gallop  ;^  if  in  a  true  pace,  with  that  side  taking  the 
advanced  strides  that  is  opposite  to  the  hind-leg 
that  first  received  the  weight. 

Whenever  a  horse  takes  the  gallop  it  is  because 
the  weights  have  been  shifted  so  violently  that  the 
balance  necessary  for  the  other  paces  is  destroyed, 
while  in  the  gallop  the  legs  are  brought  to  the 
ground  one  after  the  other ;  and  no  matter  how  great 
may  be  the  changes  in  the  position  of  the  centre  of 

^  This  rule  is  invariable,  although  there  are  apparent  exceptions  ;  for  ex- 
ample, in  the  passage,  cr  in  the  Spanish  trot,  the  horse  may  plant  a  hind-leg 
in  some  stride  and  go  into  the  gallop,  but  it  is  because  the  weights  had  been 
so  shifted  in  the  preceding  stride  that  the  forehand  was  impeded,  and  a 
hind-leg  had  to  be  carried  so  far  under  the  centre  of  gravity  as  to  break  the 
cadence  of  the  original  movement.  So,  from  rearing,  a  horse  might  be  in  the 
gallop  when  the  fore-legs  touch  the  ground  ;  but  to  get  the  hind-legs  under, 
so  that  it  could  rise  from  the  ground,  the  weights  must  first  have  been  thrown 
upon  the  forehand. 


122  MODERN  HORSEMANSHIP. 

gravity,  the  pace  Is  possible  as  long  as  the  horse  can 
keep  upon  its  feet. 

From  a  rapid  trot  the  horse  '  breaks '  into  the 
gallop  by  throwing,  through  an  increased  impulse 
from  the  croup,  the  weight  upon  a  fore-leg  and 
impeding  its  action  ;  the  diagonally  disposed  hind- 
leg  (that  should  be  working  in  unison  with  this 
fore-leg)  is  then  carried  under  the  centre  of  gravity, 
the  forehand  rises,  the  cadence  of  the  trot  is  broken, 
and  the  horse  is  in  the  gallop. 

To  teach  the  horse  to  take  gallop  right,  the  rider 
should  closely  collect  the  animal  in  a  walk  or  in  a 
very  slow  trot ;  he  should  then  increase  the  pressure 
of  the  left  leg,  and  make  an  upward  play  with  the 
right  rein.  These  applications  of  the  aids  will  induce 
the  horse  to  place  the  hind-legs  properly  for  the 
movement,  to  give  the  necessary  impulses  from  the 
croup,  and  to  take  the  right  order  with  the  fore-legs.-^ 
When  the  horse  takes  the  gallop  the  aids  must 
maintain  the  action  and  put  the  horse  straight.  At 
first  the  rate  should  neither  be  so  rapid  that  the 
horse  cannot  be  kept  '  in  hand,'  nor  so  languid  that 
the  animal  will  be  disposed  to  break  back  into  a 
trot,  but  a  fair  and  steady  gallop,  in  which  the  horse 

1  That  is,  the  left  hind-leg  will  be  carried  under  the  mass  and  planted,  then 
the  right  hind-leg  will  come  to  the  ground,  then  the  left  fore-leg,  then  the 
right  fore-leg  (the  right  side  having  been  supported  to  insure  it),  and  from  the 
latter  leg  the  horse  goes  into  air. 


TRAINING.  123 

moves  freely,  should  be  maintained  for  a  few 
minutes,  when  the  horse  may  be  brought  to  a  more 
moderate  pace,  a  slow  trot  or  a  walk,  by  the  action 
of  the  rider's  legs  followed  by  an  increased  tension 
upon  the  reins.  This  upward  play  of  the  direct  rein 
must  not  be  too  marked,  and  it  must  be  supported 
by  the  opposite  rein,  so  that  the  head  of  the  horse 
will  not  be  displaced  ;  and  the  increased  pressure  of 
the  left  leg  must  be  supported  by  the  right  leg,  so 
that  the  croup  will  not  be  bent  too  much  to  the 
right.  In  the  early  lessons  the  croup  will  of  ne- 
cessity be  more  or  less  bent,  but  as  the  lessons 
progress  the  horse  must  be  taught  to  take  either 
gallop  without  a  perceptible  bend. 

To  make  the  horse  take  gallop  left,  the  right 
heel  will  demand  the  proper  position  of  the  hind- 
legs,  and  the  impulses  from  the  croup,  and  an 
upward  play  of  the  left  rein  will  prepare  the  fore- 
legs for  the  proper  stride — the  rider's  left  leg  sup- 
porting his  right  leg  as  it  gives  the  stronger  pressure, 
the  right  rein  measuring  the  effects  of  the  direct  rein. 
Of  course,  what  has  been  said  about  putting  and 
keeping  the  horse  straight  in  gallop  right  applies 
equally  here. 

After  the  horse  will  take  and  maintain  either 
gallop  right  or  gallop  left,  in  a  free  and  even  pace, 
the  rider  should  carefully  practise  bringing  it  to  the 


124  MODERN  HORSEMANSHIP. 

shortened-gallop  (or  school  gallop)  by  demanding  a 
closer  union  ;  and  in  time  from  this  shortened  gallop 
to  the  'poise'  or  'half-halt,'  resuming  the  gallop 
before  the  animal  has  grown  heavy  in  hand,  and 
gradually  making  the  half-halt  (what  it  should  be) 
nothing  more  than  a  '  rest  of  one  beat '  in  the 
cadence  of  the  pace. 

When  the  horse  has  been  taught  to  observe  the 
half-halt,  it  may  be  taught  to  take  gallop  right  and 
gallop  left  from  '  in  place,'  in  exactly  the  same 
manner  as  from  the  walk  or  from  the  slow  trot. 

The  horse  should  have  long  and  carefully  con- 
ducted lessons  in  the  gallop,  being  made  to  change 
the  rates  of  speed  and  the  forms  of  collection  at 
the  will  of  the  rider,  and  it  should  be  made  to  gallop 
In  circles  of  various  diameters,  first  with  the  legs  of 
the  side  to  which  it  is  turning  making  the  extended 
strides,  and  afterwards  in  the  contra  gallop. 

The  horse  should  then  be  ready  to  be  taught  the 
gallop  changes.  I  have  said  that  the  horse  goes 
into  air  from  a  fore-leg  at  each  stride,  this  fore-leg 
being  the  right  in  gallop  right,  the  left  in  gallop  left. 
It  is  when  the  hind-legs  are  leaving  the  ground  for 
the  weight  to  be  thrown  upon  this  advanced  fore- 
leg that  the  opportunity  is  given  the  hind-legs  to 
change  their  order,  and  when  the  fore-legs  are  free 
from  the  ground  they  change  their  order,  and  the 


TRAINING.  125 

chanofe  is  made  In  one  stride  without  either  ex- 
tremity  being  false.^  That  is,  in  changing  from 
gallop  right  to  gallop  left,  the  hind-legs  will  change 
their  order  (so  that  the  right  hind-leg  will  first  be 
planted  and  then  the  left  hind-leg,  which  has  passed 
it,  in  advance  of  it)  when  they  are  free  from  the 
ground  in  some  stride,  the  forehand  having  the 
weights ;  and  as  soon  as  the  right  fore-leg  is  free 
from  the  ground  it  will  be  advanced,  and  be  again 
planted  and  then  the  left  fore-leg  will  be  advanced 
and  brought  to  the  ground,  the  horse  going  into  air 
for  a  new  stride  from  the  latter. 

In  all  the  true  gallops  the  hind-legs  are  com- 
mitted to  a  certain  order  before  the  horse  goes  into 
air. 

In  the  canter — a  spurious  gallop,  in  which  a  fore- 
leg is  planted  before  the  second  hind-leg  comes  to 
the  ground — the  fore-legs  must  hasten  their  change 
to  complete  the  change  in  a  stride  ;  and  there  are 
phases  in  the  change  of  the  canter  that  very  closely 
resemble  the  pace  known  as  the  amble. 

In  changes  made  in  gallops  of  low  speed  and  of 
low  collection,   the  hind  leg,  that  will  in   the   new 

^  The  change  that  I  have  described  is  the  true  change,  in  accordance  with 
the  nature  of  the  pace  ;  but  sometimes,  even  at  Hberty,  the  horse  changes 
first  the  order  of  the  fore-feet  (which  will  cause  the  hind-legs  to  be  false,  as 
they  are  already  planted  in  the  old  order),  and  then  to  change  the  order  of  the 
hind-legs  in  the  next  or  some  future  stride,  when  the  forehand  has  the 
weight. 


126  MODERN  HORSEMANSHIP. 

order  take  the  advanced  stride,  begins  to  pass  the 
other  hind-leg  as  soon  as  it  is  free,  and  before  the 
latter  has  been  raised  from  the  orround. 

In  some  very  slow  galloping  movements,  par- 
ticularly in  those  upon  two  paths,  in  the  voltes,  etc., 
it  sometimes  occurs  that  the  horse  does  not  go  into 
air  at  each  stride.  And  I  have  seen  school  horses 
in  a  very  languid  sort  of  a  gallop — or  rather  canter 
— appear  to  make  the  change  by  keeping  the  legs, 
that  have  been  making  the  extended  strides,  upon 
the  ground,  and  by  passing  these  with  the  legs  of 
the  other  side,  in  a  movement  something  like  the 
amble.  There  can  be  other  irregular  motions  from 
constrained  and  interrupted  positions,  such  as  the 
half-halt ;  but  in  such  movements  the  horse  is  not 
in  the  true  gallop,  and  even  then  the  principles  I 
have  laid  down  for  the  change  hold  crood. 

In  a  true  gallop  the  horse  must  go  into  air  from 
the  advanced  fore-foot  at  each  stride,  and  the  legs 
must  be  planted  in  regular  order,  beginning  with 
the  hind-leg  opposite  to  that  from  which  the  horse 
went  into  air. 

These  remarks  are  founded  upon  experiments  in 
photography,  and  I  was  the  first  writer  not  only  to 
properly  describe  the  gallop  changes,  but  to  procure 
photographs  of  the  horse  in  the  act  of  making- 
intended    changes.        In    some    of    the    published 


TRAINING.  127 

pictures  of  jumping  horses  the  animals  are  occasion- 
ally shown  to  be  making  changes  or  half- changes 
as  they  cross  over  the  obstacles,  but  these  are 
accidental  and  undesired  disorde^^s  in  the  pace,  and 
would  not  prove  how  the  horse  changes  in  the 
gallop  where  no  obstacle  intervenes. 

Knowing  now  how  the  horse  makes  the  change 
of  gallop,  we  must  see  how  the  animal  may  be 
brought  to  perform  them  at  the  demand  of  the  rider. 

To  teach  the  horse  to  change  from  gallop  right 
to  gallop  left,  the  animal  should  be  put  into  a  very 
slow  gallop  right  on  a  straight  line.  After  some 
strides  in  this  pace,  the  rider  will  bring  the  horse  to 
a  slow  trot  for  half  a  dozen  strides,  and  then  very 
quietly,  and  without  harassing  or  exciting  the  horse, 
put  it  into  gallop  left,  by  collecting  the  animal,  by 
slightly  retiring  his  left  shoulder,  applying  the  right 
leg,  and  making  an  upward  play  with  the  left  rein. 

Gradually  these  strides  in  the  trot  will  be  reduced 
in  number,  and  in  time  be  replaced  by  a  half-halt 
between  the  gallop  right  and  gallop  left,  the  aids  to 
make  the  change  from  the  half-halt  being  applied 
gently  but  with  exactness ;  and  the  shoulder  of  the 
rider  upon  the  side  of  the  new  change  being  slightly 
retired,  so  that  his  weight  will  be  properly  disposed. 
The  half-halt  will  then  be  reduced  until  the  horse 
makes  the  change  from  gallop  right  to  gallop  left 


128  MODERN  HORSEiMANSHIP. 

In  the  beat  of  the  pace,  the  horse  being  closely 
collected  in  a  very  slow  gallop,  and  the  increased 
pressure  of  the  rider's  right  leg  and  the  upward 
play  of  the  left  rein  taking  effect  at  the  moment 
the  advanced  hind-leg  gives  its  impulse  in  some 
stride.  In  very  rapid  gallops  the  horse  must  have 
the  idea  of  chano-inor  before  the  advanced  fore-leo" 
(in  the  old  stride)  is  brought  to  the  ground  ;  but 
the  rider  cannot  with  certainty  demand  the  gallop 
changes  at  a  high  rate  of  speed ;  and  in  the  gallop, 
where  the  changes  may  be  produced,  the  principal 
impulse  in  each  leap  comes  from  the  hind-leg  on 
the  side  of  the  advanced  fore-leg,  and  it  is  as  this 
impulse  is  being  given  that  the  effects  of  the  aids 
for  demanding  the  change  should  be  felt. 

During  these  lessons  in  changing  from  gallop 
right  to  gallop  left,  a  similar  method  should  be 
followed  in  teaching  the  changes  from  left  to  right ; 
both  chano^es  beinQ^  tauQrht  in  the  same  order : 
that  is,  both  sides  of  the  horse  should  be  equally 
practised  in  the  lessons  with  the  trotting  strides 
between  the  changes,  and  in  the  lessons  with  the 
half-halt  between  the  changes,  and  in  the  lessons 
where  the  changes  are  made  in  the  beat  of  the  pace. 

To  produce  the  changes  smoothly  and  evenly  the 
trainer  must  be  satisfied  with  very  slow  progress  : 
the  slight  motions  of  the  rider's  body  being  gently 


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TRAINING.  129 

made,   and  the  aids  applied   neither  abruptly    nor 
roughly. 

After  the  horse  will  make  the  changes  perfectly 
at  any  desired  stride  upon  straight  lines,  the  rider 
should  practise  the  changes  in  the  gallop  in  turning 
from  a  circle  on  one  hand  to  a  circle  on  the  other 
hand,  taking  care  that  the  change  is  made  as  the 
turn  to  the  other  hand  is  demanded ;  for  in  turningf 
abruptly  from  a  circle  on  one  hand  to  a  circle  on  the 
other,  the  horse  will  often  try  to  begin  the  change 
with  the  fore-legs,  and  this  is  not  only  a  false 
movement,  but  it  is  dangerous,  as  the  centre  of 
gravity  in  the  turn  will  not  have  the  support  of  the 
hind-leg  on  the  side  of  which  the  mass  is  turning. 

It  will  be  a  mere  matter  of  skill  and  practice  to 
make  the  gallop  changes  at  any  stride,  or  even  at 
every  stride. 

The  contra-gallop  should  often  be  practised  dur- 
ing the  lessons  in  the  changes,  so  that  the  horse 
will  not  fall  into  the  habit  of  volunteerine  a  chano-e 
when  a  turn  happens  to  be  made. 

It  is  important  that  the  body  of  the  horse  should 
be  kept  straight  in  both  gallops,  and  the  bend  of  the 
horse  in  making  the  changes  should  be  impercept- 
ible :  the  motions  of  the  rider's  body  as  he  retires 
the  right  shoulder  for  gallop  right,  the  left  shoulder 
for  gallop  left,  should  also  be  slight,  and  with  a  little 

R 


130  MODERN  HORSEMANSHIP. 

practice  he  can  shift  the  weights  by  muscular 
movements  in  such  a  manner  that  he  will  not  have 
the  appearance  of  having  changed  his  position. 
The  less  obvious  the  motions  of  the  rider  in  con- 
trolling the  horse,  the  higher  will  be  his  skill. 

In  giving  the  application  of  the  spur  to  induce 
the  gallop  or  the  gallop  change,  the  rider  should 
bear  in  mind  that  the  spur  hastens  the  action  of  the 
hind-leg  upon  the  side  of  its  application,  demands 
impulse  from  the  planted  legs,  supports  the  action 
of  the  opposite  fore-leg,  and  tends  to  give  the  croup 
a  bend  away  from  the  spur.  He  should  also 
remember  that  from  the  trot  the  horse  takes  the 
gallop  by  throwing  the  weights  from  a  pair  of 
diagonally  disposed  legs  upon  the  other  fore-leg, 
and  by  then  bringing  under  the  centre  of  gravity 
the  hind-leg  opposite  to  this  fore-leg  which  has 
received  the  weights ;  that  the  gallop  change  is 
effected  by  demanding  the  change  in  the  order  of 
the  hind-legs  as  soon  as  they  are  free  from  the 
ground,  and  that  the  spur  should  act  before  the 
advanced  hind-leg  leaves  the  ground,  to  insure  the 
impulse  from  the  hind-leg  that  has  been  taking  the 
advanced  strides,  to  hasten  the  action  of  that  leg,  and 
to  make  sure  of  the  change  being  properly  begun. 


TRAINING.  131 


CHAPTER  XL— ON  TWO  PATHS. 

LOW  PIROUETTES— MOVEMENTS  UPON  TWO  PATHS- 
WHEELS  AND  HALF-WHEELS— TRAVERS  AND 
RENVERS— REVERSED  PIROUETTES. 

In  the  old  High  School  of  horsemanship  xh^ pirouette 
was  a  movement  in  which  the  horse  took  its  weight 
upon  the  flexed  hind-legs,  with  the  fore-legs  bent 
very  closely,  and  it  turned  upon  the  inner  hind-leg 
as  a  pivot.  But  this  is  now  very  rarely  practised 
even  in  la  haute  ccole,  and  its  place  is  supplied  by 
the  pirouette  volte,  in  which  the  horse,  a  half-halt 
being  first  demanded  from  some  action,  turns  about 
in  a  series  of  strides  in  which  the  inner  hind-foot 
treads  upon  one  spot  while  the  forehand  is  carried 
about  the  croup. 

If  the  horse  be  faced  in  a  certain  direction,  and  is 
turned  so  that,  upon  the  inner  hind-leg  as  a  pivot, 
it  faces  in  the  opposite  direction,  it  has  made  a 
demi-pirotiette  volte. 

If  the  inner  circle  upon  which  the  hind-legs  pass 
is  of  such  a  diameter  that  the  croup  is  not  prac- 
tically a  pivot,  the  movement  is  a  wheel  in  travers 


132  MODERN  HORSEMANSHIP. 

(or  volte) ;  and  half  of  such  a  turn  is  a  half-ivheelin 
travers  (or  demi-volte). 

If  the  horse  moves  in  a  circle  upon  two  paths 
— the  croup  on  the  outer  circumference,  the  head 
in  towards  the  common  centre — we  have  the  wheel 
reversed  (or  volte  in  renvers). 

To  teach  the  horse  to  make  the  low  pirouette ,  it 
should  be  placed  alongside  of  the  wall ;  if  to  turn  to 
the  right,  with  its  left  side  next  to  the  wall.  The 
rider  should  then  collect  its  forces,  and  give  the  head 
a  slight  bend  to  the  rioht.  Then  with  the  snaffle 
reins  he  should  slowly  lead  the  forehand  about  the 
croup,  keeping  the  right  leg  of  the  horse  upon  the 
ground  as  a  turning  pivot,  and  when  it  is  necessary 
to  make  the  left  hind-leg  move  up  to  keep  its  proper 
place  with  reference  to  the  rest  of  the  body  in  the 
movement,  and  to  keep  the  croup  in  place,  employing 
a  pressure  of  his  left  leg  or  heel.  When  the  horse 
has  been  brouofht  with  its  rio-ht  side  next  to  the 
wall,  and  a  half-pirouette  has  been  made,  the  rider 
should  reward  the  animal,  and  relax  the  aids.  In 
the  course  of  a  few  such  lessons  the  rider  should 
gradually  introduce  the  use  of  the  curb  reins,  by 
first  using  the  snaffle  reins  to  simply  inaugurate 
the  movement  and  finally  dispensing  with  them. 
When  the  curb  reins  are  used  alone,  the  direct  curb 
rein  will  Q^ive  the  bend  of  the  head  and  inauofurate 


TRAINING.  133 

the  movement,  the  hand  being  then  carried  to  the 
right,  so  that  the  left  curb  rein  will  act  against  the 
left  side  of  the  neck  of  the  horse  and  give  the 
indirect  indication  of  the  curb.  The  rider  must 
recollect  that  in  all  turns  and  pirouettes  the  shoulder 
of  the  side  to  which  the  turn  is  made  must  be  retired 
more  or  less,  depending  in  extent  upon  the  abrupt- 
ness of  the  turn  and  the  vigour  with  which  it  is 
made. 

In  a  similar  manner  the  horse  will  be  practised 
in  the  low  pirouette  to  the  left,  the  head  of  the 
horse  being  slightly  bent  to  the  left,  the  left  hind- 
leg  acting  as  pivot,  the  right  leg  of  the  rider  acting 
to  hold  the  croup  in  place,  and  to  bring  up  the  right 
hind-leg  of  the  horse  when  necessary. 

The  low  pirouette  prepares  the  horse  for  the  pir- 
otiette  volte,  and  confirms  the  animal  in  many  of  the 
indications  of  the  hand  ;  but  before  the  more  difficult 
movements  are  attempted,  the  exercises  upon  two 
paths  should  be  thoroughly  practised. 

The  horse  should  now  be  ridden  in  the  travel's 
and  in  the  renvers,  in  the  walk  and  in  the  united 
trot,  both  to  the  right  and  to  the  left,  upon  straight 
lines  and  upon  circles,  half-circles,  and  in  other 
fiofures,  chano-ino-  from  travers  to  renvers,  and  from 
renvers  to  travers,  the  proper  bend  of  the  head 
being  always  demanded,  and  the  diagonal  position 


134  MODERN  HORSEMANSHIP. 

of  the   body    of  the  horse   with  reference    to    the 
parallel  paths  being  observed. 

The  changes  of  direction  in  the  movements  upon 
two  paths  should  at  first  be  made  upon  circles  of  a 
large  diameter  to  insure  perfect  action  and  position, 
but  as  the  horse  advances  in  its  education  these 
circles  may  be  occasionally  diminished,  and  the 
horse  may  be  turned  from  ti^avers  to  rejivers  by 
wheeling  it  about  in  the  manner  of  the  pirouette 
volte.  For  example,  the  horse  being  in  travers  left 
in  the  united  trot,  it  may  be  brought  to  a  half-halt, 
wheeled  to  the  left — the  bends  being  then  proper 
for  the  movement — until  it  crosses  the  paths  in  the 
proper  position  for  reversing  the  direction,  and  then, 
before  it  grows  heavy  in  hand,  be  made  to  resume 
the  trot  upon  two  paths  back  over  the  line  upon 
which  it  has  come. 

This  united  or  shortened  trot  is  performed  in  a 
very  high  state  of  union  and  balance,  the  increased 
action  taking  place  under  the  horse,  the  pairs  of 
diagonally  disposed  legs  working  in  perfect  unison, 
and  the  horse  being  supple  throughout.  In  travers- 
ing in  this  trot — and  the  same  thing,  of  course,  holds 
ofood  of  rejwers — the  leo-  of  the  rider  that  demands 
the  movement  should  give  the  accentuated  pressures 
as  the  fore-leg  of  the  opposite  side  is  being  raised 
and  extended,  in  order  that  the  diagonal  action  may 


TRAINING.  135 

be  obtained  and  sustained.  That  is,  in  traversing 
to  the  riMit,  the  left  leof  of  the  rider  should  gfive  the 
accentuated  pressures  as  the  right  fore-leg  is  being 
raised  and  extended,  so  that  synchronous  action 
of  the  left  hind-leg  may  be  secured ;  and  this  will 
insure  unison  of  action  between  the  other  pair  of 
diagonally  disposed  legs.  In  traversing  to  the  left, 
the  right  leg  of  the  rider  will  give  the  accentuated 
pressures  as  the  left  fore-leg  is  being  raised  and 
extended.  The  pace  must  be  very  slow  to  obtain 
these  requirements,  and  the  rider's  legs  must  not 
act  too  vigorously,  as  we  do  not  desire  now  to 
obtain  the  passage  action,  but  simply  a  brilliant  trot 
in  perfect  time. 

At  first  the  snaffle  reins  must  assist  those  of  the 
curb  bit  in  demanding  these  movements  upon  two 
parallel  paths ;  but  the  use  of  the  formier  will  be 
gradually  dispensed  with  in  the  manner  before 
described  :  the  indirect  indications  of  the  curb  rein 
being  always  preceded  by  a  tension  upon  the  direct 
curb  rein.  That  is,  in  bending  the  head  to  the 
right  to  pass  to  the  right,  the  bridle  hand  will  be 
turned  towards  the  rider's  right  shoulder,  to  give  a 
direct  tension  upon  the  right  curb  rein,  and  then 
.  carried  over  to  the  right  so  that  the  left  curb  rein 
will  be  brought  against  the  neck  of  the  horse  :  in 
bending  to  the  left  to  pass  to  the  left,  the  bridle  hand 


136  MODERN   HORSEMANSHIP. 

will  be  turned  so  that  the  thumb  points  to  the 
ground  over  the  left  shoulder  of  the  horse,  and  it 
should  then  be  carried  to  the  left,  so  that  the  right 
rein  will  take  a  tension  with  the  right  side  of  the 
horse's  neck  intervening. 

While  upon  single  direct  lines  in  the  united  trot, 
the  horse  should  be  practised  in  the  reversed  pir- 
ouettes from  action. 

If,  in  the  united  trot,  the  horse  be  passing  upon  a 
sinofle  straio-ht  line,  and  it  be  desired  to  move  in  the 
opposite  direction,  the  rider  will  bring  the  animal 
to  the  half-halt,  bend  the  head  slightly  to  the  right, 
and  fix  the  forehand  in  place,  while  his  left  leg 
carries  the  croup  about  to  the  right  in  the  beat  of 
the  trot :  when  the  reversed  pirouette  is  so  far  made 
that  the  horse  faces  in  the  new  direction,  the  animal 
will  be  put  straight,  the  balance  between  the  forces 
be  resumed  by  a  reduced  tension  upon  the  reins  and 
by  demanding  renewed  impulses  from  the  croup 
(which  must  be  met  and  measured  by  the  hand),  and 
the  horse  will  go  back  upon  the  path  by  which  it 
came  in  the  same  form  of  trot,  without  having  grown 
heavy  or  disunited.  The  reversed pii^ouette  left  will 
be  made  in  a  similar  manner,  by  carrying  the  croup 
about  to  the  left,  the  head  bent  to  the  left. 


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TRAINING.  137 


CHAPTER  XII.— IN  THE  GALLOP. 

TRAVERS  AND  RENVERS— VOLTES  AND  DEMJ VOLTES— 

WHEELS  AND  HALF-  WHEELS—  TURNS— 

FIR  0  UE  TTE-  VOL  TES. 

Travers  and  Renvers  are  produced  in  the  gallop 
exactly  as  in  the  trot,  the  horse  being  in  gallop 
right  when  the  right  side  is  in  advance,  in  gallop 
left  when  the  left  side  is  in  advance,  the  head  bent 
in  the  direction  of  the  movement,  the  forehand 
upon  one  path  slightly  in  advance  of  the  croup  upon 
a  parallel  path. 

For  the  movements  upon  two  paths  the  pace 
should  either  be  the  school  gallop  or  a  slow  gallop 
of  three  beats. 

After  the  horse  is  fairly  well  accustomed  to  pass 
on  straight  lines  and  to  make  the  ordinary  changes 
of  direction  of  90°,  it  should  be  brought  to  make  the 
travers  in  the  gallop,  to  either  hand,  upon  whole 
circles  of  large  diameters,  gradually  reducing  these. 
The  work  upon  the  circles  should  not  be  continued 
for  any  length  of  time  at  any  one  lesson,  and  the 
circles  should    not    be    much   reduced  too  rapidly, 


138  MODERN   HORSEMANSHIP. 

or  the  horse  will  become  heavy  and  constrained  in 
action. 

In  these  exercises  upon  the  circles  the  horse  may 
be  made  to  change  from  travers  right  to  travers  left 
(and  from  travers  left  to  travers  right)  by  being 
brought  to  a  half-halt,  the  change  made  in  the  gallop 
while  the  forehand  is  carried  over  so  that  the  body 
of  the  horse  will  be  perfectly  across  the  paths  for 
the  new  movement,  and  the  travers  in  gallop  re- 
sumed in  the  opposite  direction,  before  the  animal 
becomes  heavy  and  disunited. 

The  diameters  of  the  circumferences  about  which 
these  movements  in  the  travers  in  gallop  are  made 
will  in  time  be  reduced  until  the  croup  passes  about 
a  circle  so  small  that  the  inner  hind-foot  treads 
on  a  central  spot,  and  we  shall  have  the  pirouette 
volte. 

The  demi-pirotiette  volte  will  then  be  demanded 
from  the  gallop  on  a  single  path  in  a  straight  line, 
in  the  following  manner.  The  horse  being  in,  say, 
gallop  right,  the  rider  on  reaching  the  point  where 
the  turn  is  to  be  made  will  demand  a  half-halt, 
retire  his  right  shoulder,  throw  back  the  weights  to 
keep  the  croup  in  place,  carry  the  forehand  about, 
and  resume  the  gallop  back  over  the  line  upon 
which  the  horse  has  just  passed.  By  practice  the 
half-halt  can  be  so  much  reduced  as  to  be  barely 


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The  Modern  Chess  l74strucio7^ 

A  FEW  OF  THE  COMMENTS  ON  PART  I. 


"  Steinitz's  long  expected  work  is  at  last  before  the  public,  and  we  may  honestly  say  that,  taking 
the  First  Part  as  an  average  of  the  whole,  it  surpasses  anticipation.  To  avow  that  the  analytical 
result  of  the  author's  thirty  odd  years  of  laborious  industry  smashes  up  every  preconceived  idea 
of  Chess  Openings  and  the  theory  of  the  game  in  general,  would  involve  an  amount  of  research 
utterly  beyond  our  present  scope  or  field,  for  there  are  about  fifty  solid  pages  devoted  to  Kuy 
Lopez  and  its  modern  developments  alone,  but  it  is  fair  to  state  right  away  that  this  is,  in  our 
opinion,  the  first  part  of  an  altogether  original  and  unique  campaign  upon  the  accepted  theory  of 
the  intricacies  of  chess,  and  perhaps  the  first  attempted  complete  treatise  on  the  game  in  any 
language,  since  that  of  Howard  Staunton.  .  .  .  The  book  has  a  noble  appearance,  the  paper 
and  type  being  eminently  suitable,  and  the  170  diagrams  well  placed  and  clearly  printed." — Balti- 
more Sunday  News,  Baltimore,  Md. 

Part  I.  of  this  great  work  has  just  made  its  appearam  e  ;  and  may  now  be  had  of  all  booksellers 
in  England  and  America.  .  .  .  Our  readers  should  ortkr  it  without  delay  of  their  nearest 
bookseller  or  direct  of  the  publishers  (27  King  William  Street,  Strand,  London).  The  book  is  in 
every  way  worthy  of  the  unrivalled  powers  and  reputation  of  its  illustrious  author.  It  must,  as 
we  ventured  to  predict,  make  an  epoch  in  the  history  of  the  game;  and  the  foundations  are  therein 
laid  for  raising  the  game  to  the  rank  of  a  science,  a  position  to  which  up  to  now  it  has  not  in  our 
judgment  a  just  claim.  .  .  .  We  would  earnestly  exhort  each  of  our  readers  to  procure  a 
copy  for  themselves.  Chess  is  one  of  the  most  inexpensive  as  it  is  one  of  the  most  intellectual 
amusements;  and  the  amateur  who  would  grudge  the  price  of  this  work  does  not  deserve  the 
name  of  a  chess-player.  With  such  a  book  for  careful  study  and  the  opportunity  of  moderate 
practice  with  strong  opponents,  few  need  despair  of  becoming  fine  chess-players.  .  .  .  Apart 
from  the  merit  of  the  subject-matter,  it  is  by  far  the  clearest  and  best  work  on  Chess,  both  in 
arrangement  and  typography,  that  we  have  ever  seen." — Hereford  Times,  Hereford  (Eng.). 

"  The  book  is  a  marvel  of  cheapness,  and  it  is  the  ablest  treatise  ever  published  upon  the  game 
in  this  or  any  other  age.  Its  author  has  the  advantage  of  being,  at  the  same  time,  the  greatest 
theorist,  analyist,  and  player  in  the  world.  No  professional  or  amateur  can  afford  to  be  without 
the  work." — St.  Paul  Pioneer  and  Press,  St.  Paul,  Minn. 

"  We  have  seen  Part  1.,  which  is  a  handsome  volume  of  236  pages  and  is  bound  in  cloth 
extra,  gilt,  and  typographically  is  far  superior  to  any  chess  work  which  we  have  seen.  'We  con- 
gratulate the  author,  unquestionably  the  greatest  chessist  past  or  present,  on  the  reception  that  his 
book  has  met  with,  and  wish  him  continued  health  and  vigor  to  complete  the  great  undertaking 
which  has  been  so  successfully  commenced." — Tlie  Globe,  St.  John,  N.  B. 

"  It  is  bound  to  be  appealed  to  as  a  guide  and  standard  for  many  years.  If  we  may  quote 
ourselves:  '  There  is  no  science  known  among  men  in  which  knowledge  is  so  little  absolute  as  in 
chess'  ;  and  Mr.  Steinitz  recognizes  this  truth  in  his  anticipations  for  the  future  of  his  most  care- 
fully elaborated  conclusions.  It  is  the  glory  of  chess  that  it  is  conservatively  progressive,  and 
this  crowning  work  of  our  greatest  living  master  gives  us  a  comprehensive  and  reliable  view  of  its 
present  attainments,  and  lays  a  broad  and  intelligible  platform  from  which  safely  to  ascend  to 
higher  jilanes.  Never  was  great  chess  master  so  tolerant  of  rivals  or  so  catholic  in  his  treatment 
of  mooted  points.  Of  originality  there  is  a  refreshing  abundance;  of  useless  dogmatism,  very 
little  ;  of  personal  pomposity,  none.  And  yet,  as  no  man  has  or  ever  had  a  greater  right  to  do.  no 
master  treatise  was  ever  more  largely  illu'^trated  from  the  author's  own  practical  experience." — 
Neiv  York  Clipper. 


The  Mode^m  Chess  Instrttcior 

BY  W.  STEINITZ. 

Part  /. ,  2jb  Pages,  Large  Svo,  $1^0 
HANDSOMELY    BOUND    IN    CLOTH    EXTRA,    GILT. 

G.  P.  PUTNAM'S  SONS,  Publishers, 
New  York  :  27  &  29  West  23d  St.  London  :  27  King  William  St.,  Strand. 


The  first  volume  contains :  Elementary  Lessons  for  Beginners  ;  the  Laws  of  the 
Game;  a  Telegraphic  Code;  Essays  on  "Chess  as  a  Training  of  Mind  and  How 
to  Improve"  ;  "  The  Modern  School  and  its  Tendency"  ;  "  Relative  Value  of  Pieces 
and  Principles  of  Play  "  ;  the  Analyses  of  the  Ruy  Lopez,  Double  Ruy  Lopez,  and 
the  Three  and  Four  Knights'  Game,  the  Scotch  Gambit,  the  Two  Knights'  Defence, 
Petroff's  Defence,  and  Philidor's  Defence,  with  Illustrative  Games  to  each  Opening, 
together  with  an  Appendix  containing  the  games  of  the  contest  between  Messrs. 
Steinitz  and  Tschigorin,  played  at  Havana,  republished  from  the  International  Chess 
Magazine,  with  revised  and  amended  notes. 

This  volume  may  be  obtained  from  all  booksellers  in  England  and  America  or 
direct  from  Mr.  WILLIAM  STEINITZ,  P.  O.  Box,  2937,  New  York  City.  The 
price  is,  for  the  present,  $1.50  for  America  and  bs,  bd.  for  England.  The  author,  being 
desirous  to  make  the  book  popular  and  accessible  as  regards  its  price  to  all  classes  of 
chess-players,  has  made  arrangements  to  sell  a  portion  of  the  first  issue  at  a  cheaper  rate. 
But  the  expenses  of  the  book,  especially  for  transmission  abroad,  are  very  heavy,  and 
the  price  will  therefore  be  raised  for  England  to  "js.  bd.  after  October  "^ist.  Orders  from 
England,  enclosing  P.  O.  O.  for  6^-.  bd.,  and  mailed  up  to  that  date  to  the  author 
direct,  will  be  filled  immediately,  post  free. 

PART  II.,  which  most  probably  will  be  ready  in  September,  l8go,  is  planned  to 
conclude  the  analyses  of  all  the  openings.  It  will  be  published  at  $1.50  at  least  and  per- 
haps at  $2.00,  bound  in  the  same  handsome  form  as  Part  I.  Subscriptions  to  this  volume 
at  the  price  of  $1.00  are  now  open,  and  any  subscriber  who  will  send  that  amount  to 
the  author  shall  receive  a  copy,  post  free,  on  publication.  The  author  reserves  his 
right  to  increase  the  subscription  price  for  later  applicants  or  to  close  the  subscriptions 
altogether  at  any  time  by  announcement  in  the  International  Chess  Magazine. 

Secretaries  of  Chess  Clubs  will  greatly  oblige  by  bringing  this  circular  to  the 
notice  of  the  authorities  of  their  societies  as  well  as  of  individual  members  of  their 
respective  clubs.  W.   STEINITZ. 


TRAINING.  139 

perceptible,  and  the  pirouette  volte  will  be  made 
almost,  in  the  beat  of  the  pace. 

The  full  pirouette  volte  to  the  right  is  made  in 
the  same  manner,  except  that  the  turn  is  completed, 
and  the  horse  is  brought,  in  a  series  of  gallop 
strides,  the  inner  hind-leg  treading  in  the  centre 
of  the  circle  about  which  the  body  turns,  to  face  in 
the  oriofinal  direction. 

By  similar  means,  right  and  left  aids  being  inter- 
changed, the  de7ni-pirouettc  volte  and  the  full  pir- 
ouette volte  will  be  made  to  the  left  from  gallop  left. 

The  old  form  of  \\\^ pirouette  (in  which  the  horse 
took  the  weight  upon  the  hind-legs  and  wheeled 
about  the  inner  hind-leg  as  a  pivot)  is  now  seldom 
practised.  In  the  modern  pirouette  the  inner  hind- 
leg  is  kept  upon  the  ground,  and  the  body  of  the 
horse  revolves  about  it  in  a  series  of  gallop-like 
steps  with  the  other  feet,  and  the  movement  is 
produced  from  t\\Q  pirouette  volte,  by  carrying  back 
the  forces  so  that  the  inner  hind-leg  is  fixed  as  a 
pivot. 

The  horse  should  also  be  made  to  pass  in  circles 
in  the  gallop  in  reiivers,  the  head  towards  the  centre, 
the  forehand,  slightly  retarded,  upon  the  inner  cir- 
cumference. 

Whenever,  in  the  gallop  upon  two  paths,  an 
abrupt  turn  or  change  of  direction  is  to  be  made. 


140  MODERN  HORSEMANSHIP. 

the  horse  should  be  brought  to  a  half-halt,  and  if 
the  turn  requires  a  change  in  the  gallop  (from  right 
to  left  or  from  left  to  right)  the  gallop  change  should 
be  effected  when  the  half-halt  is  made,  for  it  must 
be  borne  in  mind  that  in  passing  to  the  right  the 
gallop  must  be  right,  in  passing  to  the  left  the 
gallop  must  be  left. 

For  example,  if  the  horse  be  in  travcrs  in  the 
gallop  to  the  left,  and  it  is  desired  to  go  back  over 
the  same  lines,  in  travers  (or  in  renvei^s)  left,  at  the 
point  where  the  turn  is  to  be  made  the  rider  will 
bring  the  horse  to  a  half-halt,  throw  back  the  forces 
to  fix  and  hold  the  croup,  carry  the  forehand  about 
to  the  left  until  the  body  of  the  horse  is  properly 
placed  with  regard  to  the  changed  direction,  and 
resume  the  gallop  left  upon  two  paths  back  in 
the  direction  whence  the  horse  has  come.  Or,  if 
the  horse  be  in  the  gallop  left  upon  two  parallel 
paths,  and  it  is  desired  to  pass  back  in  gallop  right 
over  the  same  lines,  the  rider,  upon  coming  to  the 
point  where  the  change  of  direction  is  to  be  made, 
will  bring  the  horse  to  a  half-halt,  change  from 
gallop  left  to  gallop  right,  throw  back  the  forces  to 
fix  and  hold  the  croup,  carry  the  forehand  over  to  the 
right  so  that  the  body  of  the  horse  will  be  properly 
placed  across  the  parallel  paths,  and  pass  to  the 
right,  in  travers  (or  in  renvers)  in  the  gallop  right. 


TRAINING.  141 

To  make  too  great  an  observance  of  the  half-halt 
in  these  movements  shows  a  want  of  skill ;  not  to 
observe  the  half-halt  at  all,  but  to  pull  the  horse 
violently  around,  as  some  horsemen  (and  some  of 
these  with  high  reputations)  do,  and  then  to  make 
the  gallop  change,  if  necessary,  in  a  struggle,  shows 
want  of  method. 

With  the  movements  I  have  explained,  the  reader 
can  form  a  great  variety  of  combinations,  a  descrip- 
tion of  which  should  be  unnecessary. 


142  MODERN    HORSEMANSHIP. 


CHAPTER  XIII.  —BA  CKING. 

Too  much  attention  can  hardly  be  paid  in  teach- 
inof  the  horse  to  back.  A  score  of  horses  can  be 
found  that  will  perfectly  perform  all  the  more  strik- 
ing movements,  for  one  that  will  go  back  lightly 
and  smoothly.  To  begin  teaching  the  horse  to  back 
before  it  has  been  well  suppled  and  disciplined  is  to 
invite  failure,  and  too  generally  the  rider  finds  it 
easier  to  let  the  horse  fall  into  the  habit  of  going 
to  the  rear  against  the  spurs  than  to  demand  the 
movement  according  to  good  principles. 

The  early  lessons  in  backing  should  be  given  on 
foot.  The  rider  will  stand  on  the  left  side  of  the 
horse  near  the  shoulder,  taking  the  snaffle  reins  in 
his  left  hand,  held  under  the  chin  of  the  horse,  and 
holding  the  whip  in  his  right  hand.  Between  a  few 
light  taps  of  the  whip  upon  the  rump,  and  a  light 
restraint  upon  the  snaffle  reins,  the  horse  will  be 
united.  The  whip  taps  will  then  be  resumed,  and 
the  tension  upon  the  reins  reduced,  until  there 
is  a  forward  impulse  from  the  croup  ;  when  a  hind- 
leg  is  raised  to  be  put  forward  the  hand  should  be 


TRAINING.  143 

carried  to  the  rear,  so  that  the  forward  impulse  will 
be  checked  and  the  raised  hind-leg  be  taken  one 
step  to  the  rear.  As  soon  as  this  one  step  has 
been  taken,  the  whip  taps  upon  the  rump  and  the 
liberty  given  by  the  hand  will  induce  the  horse  to 
move  forward  2l  few  paces.  The  horse  should  then 
be  halted  and  collected,  and  two  steps  made  to  the 
rear,  and  a  forward  movement  at  once  demanded, 
each  step  being  initiated  by  a  forward  impulse  from 
the  croup.  In  like  manner  these  steps  to  the  rear 
will  be  increased,  until  the  horse  will  go  backwards 
any  distance  in  a  light  and  well-balanced  form, 
without  struggles,  and  each  step  being  made  dis- 
tinctly and  slowly,  the  horse  being  invariably  made 
to  move  forward  after  the  last  step  to  the  rear 
has  been  taken.  When  the  horse  is  confirmed  in 
this  movement  with  the  trainer  on  foot,  the  animal 
should  be  mounted,  and  taught  to  back  in  obedience 
to  the  hand  and  legs  of  the  rider. 

The  horse  being  united  in  place,  the  rider  will 
press  his  legs  against  the  animal's  sides  until  he 
feels  that  a  forward  impulse  has  been  generated ; 
this  impulse  will  be  met  and  checked  by  the  hand, 
the  legs  withdrawn  from  its  flanks,  and  the  forces 
carried  back  so  that  the  hind-leg  that  has  been 
raised  to  be  carried  forward  will  be  taken  one  step 
to  the   rear  :  the  legs  will   then  close  against  the 


144  MODERN  HORSEMANSHIP. 

sides  of  the  horse,  the  tension  upon  the  reins  will 
be  relaxed,  and  the  horse  be  made  to  take  a  few- 
steps  forward.  In  a  like  manner,  the  number  of 
steps  to  the  rear  will  be  increased,  each  step  being 
separately  demanded,  and  the  backward  movement 
being  met  and  checked  by  the  rider's  legs,  the 
tension  upon  the  reins  being  relaxed  when  the 
backward  impulse  has  been  given ;  after  each  step 
the  horse  should  be  ready  to  go  forward  or  back- 
ward as  the  rider  wishes.  In  a  few  lessons  the 
horse  may  be  made  to  back  any  distance  in  a  light, 
smooth,  and  balanced  action. 

The  horse  may  be  made  to  turn  to  either 
hand  in  backing  by  an  increased  pressure  of  the 
rider's  leg  against  the  side  opposite  to  which  the 
turn  is  to  be  made  while  the  hand  keeps  the  fore- 
hand upon  the  path  taken  by  the  croup.  That  is, 
if  the  turn  be  made,  in  backing,  to  the  right,  the 
left  leg  of  the  rider  will  give  the  increased  pressure, 
and  the  left  rein  will  have  a  slightly  increased 
tension. 


TRAINING.  145 


CHAPTER  XIV.— LEAPING. 

It  is  no  very  difficult  thing  to  teach  a  horse  to  leap 
with  calmness ;  but  if  the  rider  uses  whip  and  spur 
whenever  the  horse  is  about  to  leap,  the  most  docik 
animal  may  become  flighty,  the  most  generous  a 
refuser. 

If  a  horse  be  given  some  of  its  usual  lessons  near 
the  leaping  bar,  until  it  is  accustomed  to  the  sight, 
and  is  then  led  over  it  by  the  trainer  preceding  it 
at  the  full  extent  of  the  reins  without  turnino-  his 
head  to  see  if  the  horse  follows  him,  the  animal  will 
be  ready  to  pass  over  it  when  being  longed.  The 
bar  may  then  be  put  up  to  the  height  of  a  foot  or  a 
foot  and  a  half,  and  the  horse  induced  to  leap  it  in 
the  longeing  circles.  After  the  horse  will  leap  the 
bar  freely  upon  the  longe,  the  trainer  will  correct 
any  faults  in  its  jumping  by  holding  the  horse  by 
the  snaffle  reins  as  it  leaps,  and  touching  it  with  the 
whip,  lightly,  below  the  knees  if  he  does  not  gather 
the  fore-legs  closely,  below  the  hocks  if  it  does  not 
gather  the  hind-legs  well  under  the  body,  as  those 
limbs  are  bending  for  the  jump. 

T 


146  MODERN   HORSEMANSHIP. 

The  horse  may  then  be  ridden  from  a  walk  over 
the  bar,  the  rider  collecting  it  as  it  approaches  the 
leap,  so  that  it  will  have  control  of  all  its  powers. 
As  the  forehand  rises  the  rider  will  lean  forward 
and  drop  the  hand,  as  the  hind-quarters  give  the 
impulse  the  rider  will  lean  back,  and  as  the  horse 
alights  he  will  give  it  a  light  support  with  the  snaffle 
bit.  The  horse  should  not  be  aided  by  the  hand  to 
rise  to  the  leap,  as  that  will  induce  the  bad  habit  of 
depending  upon  the  rider  for  the  hint  where  to  take 
off,  and  in  a  flying  leap  might  bring  about  a  serious 
disaster.  But  the  horse  should  be  brought  to  the 
leap  well  collected,  and  it  should  then  need  no  aid 
from  the  hand.  After  the  horse  will  jump,  freely 
but  quietly,  from  the  walk,  it  may  in  the  same  way 
be  made  to  take  the  leap  from  the  trot  and  the 
gallop,  and  finally  from  the  halt.  The  animal  should 
not  be  discouraged  by  demanding  too  much  from  it, 
either  in  the  number  or  height  of  the  jumps,  and  the 
lesson  should  always  end  with  a  perfectly  performed 
leap,  which  should  be  rewarded.  Whenever  the 
horse  grows  careless  it  should  be  put  back  to  the 
lessons  in  hand.  Neither  whip  nor  spur  should  be 
used  in  leaping,  beyond  a  light  tap  of  the  former, 
applied  behind  the  girths,  if  the  horse  fails  to  gather 
the  hind-legs  well  under  the  body.  In  jumping 
from  the  gallop  it  will  not  be  necessary  for  the  rider 


TRAINING.  147 

to  lean  forward  :  he  should  approach  the  obstacle 
sitting  well  down  in  the  saddle,  the  lower  part  of 
his  lesfs  carried  well  back.  As  the  horse  sfives  the 
impulse  from  the  croup  the  rider  should  lean  back, 
more  or  less,  depending  upon  the  height  of  the  drop  ; 
and  as  the  horse  alights  he  should  afford  it  such 
support  from  the  reins  as  is  required.  In  leaping 
the  horse  should  rise  well,  taking  the  weight  upon 
the  bent  hind-legs,  and  the  fore-feet  should  first 
receive  the  weight  after  the  leap.  To  insure  this 
the  snaffle  bit  should  be  used  in  jumping,  unless  the 
rider  have  the  firmest  of  seats  and  the  lightest  of 
hands,  for  the  curb  bit  is  apt  to  teach  the  horse 
to  '  buck  over,'  so  that  all  four  feet  receive  the 
weight,  and  sometimes  to  alight  in  such  a  manner 
that  the  hind-feet  first  reach  the  ground. 

After  the  horse  alights,  and  has  taken  such  sup- 
port as  it  requires,  the  legs  and  hands  should  collect 
it  for  the  speed  and  pace  with  which  it  approached 
the  leap;  for  after  all  such  exertions,  in  which  the 
centre  of  gravity  is  violently  shifted,  the  union  is 
lost,  and  must  be  restored  by  the  action  of  the  aids. 

In  a  perfectly  finished  jump  from  the  gallop  the 
horse  should  receive  the  weight  on  the  fore-leg 
opposite  to  the  hind-leg  that  gave  the  last  impulse 
over  the  obstacle.  That  is,  if  the  horse  approaches 
the  obstacle  in  gallop  right,  it  should  receive  the 


148  MODERN  HORSEMANSHIP. 

Aveight,  in  landing,  upon  the  left  fore-foot,  otherwise 
the  gallop  will  be  false  after  the  jump  has  been 
made.  This  objectionable  change  in  the  forehand 
IS  produced  by  the  unsteady  hand  of  the  rider,  and 
many  of  the  disasters  that  occur  in  jumping  are  due 
to  the  fact  that  the  horse  is  prevented  from  landing 
upon  the  fore-leg  with  which  it  has  intended  to  take 
the  weight,  and  the  other  fore-leg  is  not  quite  pre- 
pared for  the  shock. 

The  more  united  the  form  in  which  the  horse  ap- 
proaches the  obstacle,  the  greater  will  be  the  security 
of  horse  and  rider,  and  the  less  assistance  will  the 
animal  require  when  it  alights.  I  constantly  rode 
Alidor  over  obstacles  without  touching  the  reins,  and 
he  never  made  a  mistake.  In  a  wide  leap  the  horse 
must  have  more  liberty,  and  the  speed  must  be 
greater  than  in  the  high  jump,  so  that  the  momentum 
will  carry  the  mass  through  the  required  distance ; 
but  the  weights  should  not  be  too  far  forward,  and 
the  horse  should  not  be  permitted  to  hang  upon  the 
hand,  for  there  must  be  something  like  a  balance 
between  the  shiftinof  weio^hts  of  the  extremities  to 
enable  the  horse  to  land  safely. 


PART  III.— LA  HAUTE  ECOLE. 

THE    HIGH    SCHOOL    OF    HORSEMANSHIP. 


PART   III.— LA  HAUTE  ECOLE. 
THE    HIGH    SCHOOL    OF    HORSEMANSHIR 


ORNAMENTAL  MOVEMENTS. 

THE  PASSAGE— THE    PIAFF—THE  SPANISH  MARCH— THE 

SPANISH  TROT— THE  PESADE—THE  CROUPADE— 

THE  BOLOTADE—THE  CAPRIOLE. 

The  Passage  and  the  Piaff  are  very  graceful 
brilliant  trots,  and  they  may  or  may  not  be  of  value 
in  perfecting  the  training  of  the  horse — depending 
upon  the  manner  in  which  they  are  taught.  The 
Spanish  Step,  in  walk  and  in  trot,  belongs  rather  to 
the  circus-ring,  but  it  is  very  greatly  admired,  and 
is  usually  taught  to  school  horses.  That  it  tends 
to  destroy  the  lightness  and  balance  of  the  horse 
cannot  be  doubted  ;  and  I  should  never  teach  it  to  a 
horse  from  which  I  expected  a  perfect  passage  step. 
The  '  high  airs  '  of  the  manege,  the  Pesade,  the 
Curvet,  the  Croupade,  the  Bolotade,  and  the  Cap- 
riole, are  very  effective  ;  and  I  was  formerly  of  the 
opinion  that  they  had  their  uses  in  confirming  the 


152  MODERN  HORSEMANSHIP. 

horse  in  obedience  to  hand  and  heel ;  but  I  never 
thought  them  essentials,  and  I  now  doubt  their 
value.  The  movements  described  in  Part  11.  will 
give  the  horse  all  the  discipline  that  can  be  required, 
and  a  horse  can  be  made  as  quick  and  as  obedient 
by  their  means  as  if  the  whole  range  of  la  haute 
dcole  had  been  observed  in  its  education.  I  have 
had  much  pleasure  in  teaching  horses  the  high 
school  movements ;  but  I  have  followed  this  branch 
of  the  art  merely  for  amusement,  and  to  see  what 
effects  these  ornamental  airs  would  have  upon  the 
horse.  Because  I  recommended  the  movements 
upon  two  paths,  and  the  various  forms  of  collec- 
tion, it  has  been  said,  by  those  who  do  not  know 
the  difference  between  schooling  (which  is  simply 
methodic  training)  and  la  haute  dcole,  that  I  held 
that  all  of  the  high  school  was  necessary  for  the 
education  of  horses  for  ordinary  purposes.  The 
simplest,  earliest  lessons  that  are  given  to  the 
horse,  as  well  as  the  movements  upon  two  paths, 
belone  to  the  hig-h  school,  for  the  horse  must  have 
a  preliminary  training  before  It  can  be  brought  to 
perform  the  high  airs  ;  and  these  belong  equally  to 
the  training  of  horses  for  ordinary  purposes.  But 
except  the  passage,  when  it  is  properly  taught  (by 
which  the  horse  is  confirmed  in  ready  obedience  to 
hand  and  heel),  I  cannot  recommend  the  ornamental 


THE  HIGH  SCHOOL.  I  53 

airs ;  and  while  I  think  that  the  education  of  all 
horses  should  be  brought  as  far  as  is  described  in 
Part  II.,  I  do  not  think  that  anything  beyond  that 
is  necessary. 

The  movement  that  Is  usually  called  the  Passage, 
in  which  the  unbalanced  horse  has  hieh  forward 
action  in  the  forehand  and  low  langfuid  action  in 
the  hind-quarters,  is  nothing  more  than  an  im- 
poverished Spanish  trot.  Nor  is  the  so-called 
piaff,  with  similar  action,  any  more  than  a  sort  of 
dance  step,  that  has  but  little  resemblance  to  the 
true  piaff. 

The  Passage  is  the  united  trot  developed,  the 
union  and  balance  being  as  perfect  as  is  consistent 
with  the  very  slow  forward  motion.  It  is  a  series 
of  springs  from  each  pair  of  diagonally  disposed 
legs  as  they  work  in  perfect  unison,  with  a  pause 
between  each  stride  due  to  the  impulses  being 
directed  towards  heio^ht  of  action  instead  of  bein^ 

«->  o 

expended  in  speed,  and  the  action  of  the  extremi- 
ties should  be  even  as  well  as  in  unison,  and  well 
under  the  body  of  the  horse.  The  horse  should  be 
supple  throughout,  and  should  give  all  the  evi- 
dences of  being  in  '  the  union '  that  have  been 
before  described. 

The  Passage  is  produced  from  the  united  trot, 

the  legs  of  the  rider  demanding  increased  impulses 

u 


154  MODERN  HORSEMANSHIP. 

from  the  croup,  the  hand  meeting  and  turning  these 
into  action.  Except  to  demand  some  bend  or  turn, 
or  to  correct  some  rigidity,  the  reins  of  the  two 
sides  should  be  held  in  equal  lengths,  the  custom 
of  lightening  the  acting  side  having  a  tendency  to 
destroy  the  equilibrium  and  to  produce  a  forward 
action  like  the  Spanish  trot. 

The  horse  being  in  a  brisk  but  slow  united  trot, 
the  rider  will  make  a  closer  collection,  and  apply 
increased  pressures  with  each  heel  as  the  horse  is 
about  to  extend  the  fore-leg  opposite,  in  order  that 
its  action  may  be  sustained,  and  to  insure  the  syn- 
chronous action  of  the  diagonally  disposed  hind-leg. 
That  is,  the  left  heel  of  the  rider  hastens  the  action 
of  the  left  hind-leg,  and  sustains  the  action  of  the 
right  fore-leg  (so  that  these  legs  move  together), 
and  demands  the  necessary  impulses  from  the  planted 
legs ;  the  rider's  right  heel  hastens  the  action  of  the 
rig'ht  hind-leo;  and  sustains  the  action  of  the  left 
fore-leg,  and  demands  the  impulses  from  the  planted 
legs.  The  aids  should  demand  a  close  union  and 
balance  between  the  forces,  and  the  impulses  should 
be  met  by  reins  of  equal  tensions. 

When  the  horse  makes  a  few  strides  in  perfect 
unison  between  the  diagonally  disposed  pairs  of 
legs,  with  a  slight  pause  between  the  strides,  the 
suppleness  and  lightness  having  been  maintained, 


THE   HIGH   SCHOOL.  I  55 

the  rider  should  reward  It  by  a  few  words  In  a  kind 
tone,  ease  the  collection  of  the  forces,  and  bring  the 
animal  to  a  halt.  This  work  is  very  fatiguing  to 
the  horse,  and  should  not  be  followed  for  any  great 
length  of  time  at  any  one  lesson,  and  should  never 
be  attempted  with  a  horse  that  is  already  tired.  If 
the  horse  rears,  plunges,  or  shows  any  disorders  in 
the  pace,  it  is  not  yet  prepared  for  these  lessons, 
and  it  should  be  put  back  to  the  lessons  in  the 
united  trot. 

The  exercises  upon  two  paths  in  the  united  trot 
are  excellent  for  preparing  the  horse  for  the  passage, 
and  formerly  (according  to  Adams,  whose  work  was 
published  in  the  latter  part  of  the  eighteenth  century) 
the  passage  was  always  performed  with  a  bend  that 
closely  resembles  shouldei^-in,  the  horse  working 
upon  three  lines,  the  inside  fore-foot  upon  one  line, 
the  outside  fore-foot  and  inside  hind-foot  upon  a 
middle  line,  and  the  outside  hind-foot  upon  a  third 
outer  line. 

But  according  to  modern  ideas  the  passage,  when 
upon  straight  single  paths,  should  be  performed  by 
a  straight  horse ;  and  in  the  work  upon  two  paths 
the  bends  are  exactly  the  same  as  in  the  other 
paces. 

The  passage  steps  may  be  gradually  increased, 
until  the  horse  will  move  for  any  reasonable  time  in 


156  MODERN   HORSEMANSHir. 

the  action,  and  the  rider  must  exercise  great  care 
in  demanding  lightness  and  suppleness  at  all  times, 
or  the  movement  will  degenerate. 

The  Pictff  is  nothing  more  than  the  passage  in 
place,  and  is  produced  from  a  true  passage  step  by 
gradually  uniting  the  horse  so  closely  that  a  perfect 
equilibrium  is  obtained,  and  no  movement  in  any 
direction  takes  place.  When  a  well-trained  horse 
turns  about  the  forehand,  or  the  croup,  in  the  trot 
or  in  the  passage,  the  stationary  extremity  should 
have  the //(2^  action,  and  the  retardation  of  either 
extremity  in  the  trot  or  in  the  passage  should  be  in 
a  sort  of  piciff.  The  piaff  is  not  only  ornamental, 
but  is  also  useful  in  keeping  the  horse  light  in  some 
of  the  movements  in  the  trot,  and  horses  that  have 
never  been  regularly  taught  the  passage  or  the 
piaff  will,  when  well-balanced,  use  this  piaff  step 
under  the  conditions  named. 

The  Passage  is  often  employed  in  exhibiting 
horses  in  the  movements  upon  two  paths,  and  well- 
trained  horses  may  be  brought  to  back  gracefully 
and  lightly  in  a  slow  passage  step.  Th^  piaff,  when 
perfectly  performed,  must  be  in  place,  the  action 
of  the  extremities  beinof  of  even  heiorht  and  the 
cadences  regular,  the  horse  being  light,  supple,  and 
balanced. 

I  should  prefer  to  exclude  the  Spanish  Step  from 


I*..'':;,-,'.!;?! 

r 


THE    HIGH   SCHOOL.  I  57 

my  work,  as  I  am  satisfied  that  its  practice  injuri- 
ously affects  the  equihbrium  of  the  horse ;  but  the 
movement  is  so  generally  admired  and  taught  that  I 
feel  forced  to  retain  it.  I  have  trained  several  of 
my  horses  in  the  Spanish  trot,  and  Alidor  performed 
it  with  great  vigour  and  precision,  as  the  photograph 
shows,  but  latterly  I  have  not  employed  the  move- 
ment. 

Some  trainers  teach  the  Spanish  step  by  using  the 
spur  as  in  the  passage,  and  obtain  the  extended 
action  of  the  forehand  by  meeting  the  impulse  and 
liofhteninor  the  side  of  the  actino;  fore-lesf  with  the 
direct  rein ;  but  the  usual  manner  is  to  give  the 
preliminary  lessons  on  foot,  and  it  is  certainly  easier 
and  more  expeditious  than  the  former,  although 
perhaps  not  so  artistic. 

The  trainer  will  walk  alongside  of  the  horse,  and 
tap  it  with  the  whip  under  the  fore-arm  as  each  fore- 
leg is  being  raised  and  extended,  the  left  hand 
conducting  and  restraining  the  horse  ;  or  he  will,  in 
front  of  the  horse,  walk  backwards  and  tap  the  horse 
lightly  with  the  whip  upon  the  point  of  the  shoulder 
as  each  leg"  is  beincr  raised  and  extended.  In  the 
first  described  mode  the  trainer  is  not  so  apt  to  be 
struck  by  the  fore-leg  of  the  horse,  and  I  have  tried 
both  modes  with  equal  success.  In  a  short  time  the 
horse  will  strike  out  boldly  with   the  fore-leg  upon 


158  MODERN  HORSEMANSHIP. 

which  the  whip  has  acted.  These  lessons  will  be 
continued  until  the  led  horse  will  maintain  the 
Spanish  March  evenly  and  with  vigour,  the  trainer 
taking  care  that  the  impulses  come  well  from  the 
croup,  and  that  the  diagonally  disposed  hind-leg  is 
not  too  much  delayed,  for  the  more  perfect  this 
unison  of  action  with  the  extended  fore-leg  the 
better  is  the  march  performed. 

The  rider  will  then  mount,  and  transfer  the  power 
of  the  whip  to  the  heels.  The  horse  being  fairly 
well  united,  the  rider  will  press  in  the  heel  of  one 
side  and  tap  the  fore-leg  of  the  opposite  side,  at  the 
same  time  giving  a  slight  upward  play  of  the  rein 
upon  the  side  upon  which  the  whip  is  applied.  At 
these  applications  of  the  aids  the  horse  will  raise 
and  extend  the  fore-leg  that  has  received  the  whip 
tap,  and  flex  the  diagonally  disposed  hind-leg :  the 
horse  will  then  be  pushed  forward,  so  that  the  legs 
that  are  in  air  may  be  well  extended  and  planted, 
and  as  the  opposite  fore-leg  is  about  to  be  raised 
the  whip  tap  will  be  applied  to  the  shoulder  of  that 
side  while  the  opposite  heel  is  pressed  in,  and  the 
impulse  met  and  the  action  supported  by  an  upward 
play  of  the  rein  on  the  side  of  the  raised  fore-leg. 
The  same  thing  will  then  be  repeated  with  the 
other  pair  of  diagonal  legs,  and  so  on.  Gradually 
the  use  of  the  whip  will  be  dispensed  with,  and  the 


THE  HIGH   SCHOOL.  I  59 

heels  of  the  rider  will  support  the  action  and  demand 
the  impulses. 

Th&'Spanisk  Trot  is  produced  from  the  March  by 
demanding  increased  impulses,  the  horse  springing 
at  each  stride  from  a  pair  of  diagonally  disposed  legs, 
boldly  extending  the  raised  fore-leg  and  observino- 
a  marked  pause  between  each  stride — the  left  spur 
demanding  the  action  as  the  right  fore-leg  and 
its  diagonally  disposed  hind-leg  are  being  brought 
forward,  the  impulse  being  met  and  turned  into 
action  by  the  hand,  the  right  rein  having  an  upward 
play  to  lighten  that  side,  the  right  spur  and  the 
left  rein  being  employed  for  the  action  of  the 
other  pair  of  diagonally  disposed  legs.  Of  course 
the  equilibrium  cannot  be  maintained  in  this  move- 
ment ;  in  fact,  the  extravagant  action  is  produced 
by  cultivating  the  side  drift  of  the  diagonal  strides, 
that  drift  which  we  have  so  greatly  reduced  in  the 
passage,  and  have  brought  to  nothing  in  the  piaff. 

In  training  Coquette  and  some  other  horses,  I 
obtained  the  extended  stride  by  meeting  the  im- 
pulse and  by  lightening  the  side  of  the  raised  fore- 
leg with  an  increased  tension  of  the  rein  opposite. 
That  is,  I  used  the  left  heel  and  the  left  rein  when 
the  right  fore-leg  was  being  raised  and  extended  ; 
the  right  heel  and  the  right  rein  when  the  left 
fore-leg  was  being  extended.      Upon  studying  the 


l6o  MODERN   HORSEMANSHIP. 

matter,  I  found  that  there  was  much  to  be  said  in 
favour  of  each  mode,  and  the  innovation  was  to  be 
defended  particularly  with  regard  to  meeting  and 
disposing  of  the  impulse,  which  it  should  be  remem- 
bered comes  from  the  side  of  the  raised  fore-leg. 
But  I  do  not  think  the  question  of  sufficient  import- 
ance to  discuss,  as  the  principle  that  one  side  can  be 
lightened  by  restraining  the  other  is  evident,  and 
the  occasions  upon  which  either  side  could  be 
lightened  with  advantage  by  a  direct  tension  upon 
the  opposite  rein  would  be  rare. 

We  now  come  to  a  consideration  of  the  high-airs 
of  the  manege  ;  and  first,  of  the  Pesade,  which  is  the 
foundation  of  the  others.  In  the  pesade  the  horse 
takes  the  weight  upon  the  flexed  hind-legs,  raises 
the  forehand  slightly  from  the  ground,  and  extends 
the  fore-arms  with  the  lower  parts  of  the  fore-legs 
bent  back.  The  neck  must  be  curved,  the  jaw 
pliant,  and  the  face  in  the  position  that  would  be 
vertical  to  the  Qrround  if  the  horse  stood  on  the  four 
feet.  It  is  usually  taught  in  the  pillars,  by  inducing 
the  horse  to  carry  the  hind-legs  under  the  body,  and 
inviting  it  to  rise  by  a  gentle  support  upon  the 
reins,  the  bend  of  the  fore-legs  being  obtained  by 
light  taps  of  the  whip  applied  below  the  knee.  The 
pesade  may  also  be  produced  from  the  piaff  by 
throwing  back  the  weights,  carrying  the  hind-k js 


THE    CURVET. 


THE   HIGH    SCHOOL.  l6l 

well  under  the  mass,  and  inviting  the  forehand  to 
rise  with  the  reins.  Before  \}i\.Q.  pesade  is  attempted 
the  horse  must  be  thoroughly  suppled,  or  the  effort 
to  obtain  the  movement  would  simply  cause  the 
horse  to  throw  out  its  nose  and  stiffen  itself  in 
rearing. 

The  Curvet  is  a  leap  from  the  hind-legs,  the 
horse  rising,  as  in  the  pesade,  and,  after  leaving  the 
ground,  receiving  the  weight  upon  the  fore-legs.  It 
may  be  demanded  from  the  pesade,  the  piciff,  the 
passage,  or  the  school  gallop  by  collecting  the  forces 
and  supporting  the  forehand  until  the  weight  is 
taken  by  the  croup,  and  by  then  demanding  impetus 
from  the  hind-quarters  while  the  hand  gives  the 
forehand  liberty. 

The  Crotipade  is  a  movement  in  which  the  horse 
rises  as  in  the  pesade  but  higher ;  when  the  spring 
into  air  is  given  the  hind-legs  are  drawn  up  towards 
the  belly,  in  answer  to  a  stroke  of  the  whip  delivered 
behind  the  girths,  and  the  horse  comes  to  the 
ground  with  all  four  feet  planted  as  nearly  at  the 
same  time  as  possible.  The  crottpade  is  sometimes 
performed  by  supporting  the  forehand,  so  that  when 
the  spring  is  given  from  the  hind-legs  the  weight  is 
again  received  by  them  before  the  forehand  comes 
to  the  ground. 

The  croitpade  is  obtained   from   some  slow  and 

X 


I  62  MODERN   HORSEMANSHIP. 

high  action,  such  as  the  pesade,  the  piaff,  the 
passage,  or  the  c2Lrvet  poise,  by  strongly  supporting 
the  forehand,  demanding  a  vigorous  impulse  from 
the  croup,  and  giving  liberty  with  the  hand  for 
the  spring, — the  hand  being  ready  to  support  the 
forehand  for  the  spring  from  the  croup,  and  to 
meet  the  impulse  and  collect  the  horse  when  the 
movement  is  finished. 

In  the  Bolotade  the  horse  rises  as  in  a  high 
pesade,  springs  vigorously  from  the  hind-legs,  and 
while  in  air  throws  out  the  hind-feet  until  the  shoes 
are  seen  from  behind. 

The  Capriole  is  similar  to  the  bolotade,  except 
that  the  kick  from  the  hind-leo-s  is  delivered  with 
full  force  and  to  their  full  extent.  These  two  move- 
ments are  produced  from  a  high  pesade,  the  kick 
being  obtained  by  a  whip  stroke  upon  the  rump. 
In  the  bolotade  and  in  the  capriole  the  horse  is 
supposed  to  come  to  the  ground  upon  all  four  feet ; 
but  in  all  of  those  leaps  in  which  a  kick  is  delivered 
by  the  hind-legs  I  feel  sure  that  the  forfe-feet  are 
brought  to  the  ground  an  appreciable  space  of  time 
before  the  hind-feet  are  planted.  I  have  seen  many 
horses  perform  the  capriole,  and  I  have  seen  a  series 
of  moment-photographs  of  the  movement,  and  in 
every  one  of  these  cases,  without  doubt,  the  fore- 
legs were  unbent  before  the  kick  was  given,  and  the 


THE   HIGH   SCHOOL.  I  6 


O 


fore-feet  were  planted  before  the  hind-feet  touched 
earth. 

The  Terre-a-Tei've  is  a  term  now  seldom  used, 
the  movement  it  designated  being  nothing  more 
than  a  high  school-gallop  upon  two  paths,  the  horse 
being  so  closely  restrained  that  the  hoof-beats  of 
each  extremity  were  so  nearly  simultaneous  that  but 
one  sound  was  audible  as  the  fore-feet  or  the  hind- 
feet  were  planted. 

The  Mezmr  is  a  series  of  small  curvets,  and, 
although  it  is  seldom  taught,  it  may  sometimes  be 
seen  in  the  undesired  actions  of  an  excited  horse 
that  hesitates  to  force  the  rider's  hand,  just  as  under 
like  circumstances  the  animal  may  perform  a  fair 
piaff. 

Every  movement  in  which  the  horse  is  exercised 
in  its  education  belongs,  as  I  have  said,  to  the  High 
School,  for  there  are  certain  necessary  steps  to  the 
highest  branch  of  training  ;  but  the  term  was  origin- 
ally understood  to  embrace  only  the  high  airs  of 
the  inmtdge,  such  as  the  cM7^vet,  the  croiipade,  etc. 
We  now  apply  the  term  High  School  to  all  the 
merely  ornamental  movements  of  horsemanship, 
and  I  have  accepted  the  modern  and  more  compre- 
hensive meaning,  as  it  seemed  useful  to  distinguish 
the  ornamental  movements  from  those  which  are 
essential  in  the    education   of   horses    for   general 


164  MODERN    HORSEMANSHIP. 

purposes.  The  prejudice  against  carrying  the 
education  of  the  horse  beyond  the  point  of  mere 
usefulness  is  so  great  and  so  general,  that  most 
horsemen  err  in  the  other  direction,  and  neglect 
important  exercises  in  the  fear  that  they  will  teach 
something  that  is  unnecessary ;  and  consequently 
there  are  few  horses,  comparatively  speaking,  that 
are  really  safe  and  pleasant  to  ride.  I  now  regret 
that  I  ever  mentioned  the  High  School  in  my  books, 
as  I  feel  that  the  term  has  brought  distrust  upon 
the  whole  method  ;  but  I  hope  that  in  the  present 
form  of  this  work  the  evil  has  been  to  a  great 
extent  remedied  by  the  separation  of  that  which  is 
necessary  in  the  training  of  all  saddle-horses  from 
that  which  may  be  neglected  without  detriment. 


THE    END. 


Printed  by  T.  and  A.  CONSTABLE,  Printers  to  Her  Majesty, 
at  the  Edinburgh  University  Press. 


BOOKS 


ON 


SPORT  &  NATURAL  HISTORY 


PUBLISHED  BY 


DAVID    DOUGLAS 


Small  Folio,  price  £21,  with  Sketches  of  Scenery  and  Animal  Life  by  some 
of  the  best  British  and  American  Artists  and  Etchers. 


THE 

RISTIGOUCHE 

AND     ITS 

SALMON    FISHING 

WITH  A  CHAPTER  ON  ANGLING  LITERATURE 
By    dean     sage 


EDINBURGH:    DAVID    DOUGLAS 

1888 

Only  105  Copies  printed. 


One  Volume,  Small  ito.     24s. 

Also  a  Cheaper  Edition,  with  Lithographic  Illustration?, 
Demy  8vo.     12.s. 


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EDINBURGH:  DAVID    DOUGLAS.  MDCCCLXXl. 


One  Volume,  Royal  Sw.     505. 


WITH  40  FULL-PAGE  ILLUSTRATIONS  OF  SCENERY  AND  ANIMAL  LIFE,  DRAWN  BY 
GEORGE  REID,  R.S.A.,  AND  J.  WyCLIKFE  TAYLOR,  AND  ENGRAVED  BY  AMAND  DURAND, 


NATURAL   HISTORY   &   SPORT 


IN   MORAY 


By   CHARLES    ST.    JOHN 

AUTHOR  OF  "  WILD  SPORTS  IN  THE  HIGHLANDS" 


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EDINBURGH:     DAVID     DOUGLAS 

1882 


Two  Volumes,  Crown  ^vo,  Illustrated.     21s. 


A    TOUR   IN 
SUTHERLANDSHIRE 

WITH  EXTRACTS  FROM   THE  FIELD  BOOKS  OF  A 
SPORTSMAN  AND  NATURALIST 

By    CHARLES    ST.    JOHN 

.AUTHOR   OP    "NATURAL   HISTORY   AND   SPORT  IN   MORAY" 


SECON  D    EDITION 

WITH  AN  APPENDIX  ON  THE  FAUNA  OF  SUTHERLAND 

By  J.  A.  Harvie-Brown  and  T.  E.  Buckley 


EDINBURGH:     DAVID    DOUGLAS 
1884 


One    Volume,   Demy   8i;o,  ivith  Maps  and   Illustrations.       12s. 


NOTES  AND  SKETCHES 


FROM    THE 


WILD  COASTS  OF  NIPON 

WITH    CHAPTERS    ON    CRUISING    AFTER    PIRATES 
IN  CHINESE  WATERS 


By  captain  H.  C.  ST.  JOHN,  RK 


EDINBURGH:    DAVID    DOUGLAS 
1880 


One  Volume,  Demy  8vo.     18s. 


SASKATCHEWAN 


THE    ROCKY    MOUNTAINS 

.1  LIARY  AND  NARRATIVE  OF  TRAVEL,  SPORT,  AND  ADVENTURE  DURING 
A  JOURNEY  THROUGH  THE  HUDSON  BAY  COMPANY'S  TERRITORIES 

By    the    earl    OF    SOUTHESK,   K.T. 


WITH  MAPS   AND   ILLUSTRATIONS 


EDINBURGH:    DAVID   DOUGLAS 


One  Volume,  Demy  8vo,  with  Etchings  and  Map.     8s.  &d. 


THE 


CAPERCAILLIE  IN  SCOTLAND 


WITH  SOME  ACCOUNT  OF  THE  EXTENSION  OF  ITS  RANGE  SINCE  ITS 
RESTORATION  AT  TAYMOUTH  IN  1837  AND  1838 


By    J.    A.    HARVIE-BROWN,    F.Z.S. 

MEMBER   OF   THE    BRITISH   ORNITHOLOGISTS'    UNION,    ETC. 


EDINBURGH:    DAVID   DOUGLAS.     MDCCCLXXIX 


In  One  Volume,  Small  Uo,  with  Map  and  Illustrations  by  Messrs. 
J.  G.  Millais,  T.  G.  Keulemans,  Samuel  Bead,  and  others.     30s. 


E,  C I  H  R  lU  R  'j  H 
nmi  ^~    ©AVID     DOUGl-AS 


Nearly  Ready.     In  Two  Volumes,  Demy  8vo,      To  Subscribers  only. 
Profusely  Illustrated  with  Etchings  and  Lithographs. 


THE 

BIRDS  OF  BERWICKSHIRE 

WITH  EEMAEKS  ON  THEIR  LOCAL  DISTEIBUTION 

MIGRATION",    AND    HABITS,    AND    ALSO    ON    THE 

FOLK-LORE,   PROVERBS,    POPULAR   RHYMES 

AND  SAYINGS  CONNECTED  WITH  THEM 


BY 

GEOEGE  MUIRHEAD,  F.RS.E.,  F.Z.S. 

MEMBER   OF  THE   BRITISH    ORNITHOLOGISTS'   UNION,    MEMBER   OF  THE 
BERWICKSHIRE    NATURALISTS'    CLUB,    ETC. 


Mf^'i^'^^'". 


,;f;~Y>^,;-"v'^ 


EDINBURGH:    DAVID   DOUGLAS 

1889 


One  Volume,  Demy  8vo.     15s. 


THE   ART    OF   GOLF 


By  SIK  WALTER  SIMPSON,  Bart. 


IFith  20  Illustrations  from  Instantaneous  Photographs  of 
Professional  Players,  chiefly  hy  A.  F.  Macfie,  Esq. 


EDINBURGH:    DAVID   DOUGLAS 


In  the  Press,  One  Volume,  Demy  8vo,  and  Large  Paper  Edition, 
with  additional  Illustrations,  Small  ito. 

A  HISTORY  OF  CURLING 

SCOTLAND'S  A  IN  GAME 

AND  OF  FIFTY  YEAES  OF 
THE  EOYAL  CALEDONIAN  CUELINa  CLUB 


Edited  by 

The  Eev.  JOHN  KEEE,  M.A.,  Dirleton 


"t?^^. 


The  Spirit  of  CurUiKj 


EDINBUEGH:    DAVID    DOUGLAS 
1889 


A  TREATISE  ON  ANGLING 

HOW  TO   CATCH  TROUT 

By  three  anglers. 

Illustrated.     Price  Is.,  hy  Post,  Is.  2d. 

The  aim  of  this  book  is  to  give  within  the  smallest  space  possible  such 
practical  information  and  advice  as  will  enable  the  beginner  without  further 
instruction  to  attain  moderate  proficiency  in  the  use  of  every  legitimate  lure. 

"A  deliglitful  little  book,  and  one  of  great  value  to  anglers." — Scotsman. 

"  The  advice  given  ...  is  always  sound." — Field. 

"  As  perfect  a  compendium  of  the  subject  as  can  be  compressed  within  eighty -three  pages  of 
easily  read  ma.ttev."  Scotch  Waters. 

"  A  well  written  and  thoroughly  practical  little  work."— Land  and  Water. 

"The  most  practical  and  instructive  work  of  its  kind  in  the  literature  of  angling."— Dundee 
Advertiser. 


'^  A  Delightful  Guide  for  a  Country  Ramble." 

A  YEAR  IN   THE   FIELDS 

By  JOHN  WATSON. 

Fcap.  d>vo.     Price  Is.,  hy  Post,  Is.  2c?. 

"  A  charming  little  work :  a  lover  of  life  in  tlie  open  air  will  read  the  book  with  unqualified 
pleasure. " — Scotsman. 

"A  brief  but  prettily  written  account  of  the  natural  phenomena  incident  to  each  month." — 

Liverpool  Mercury. 


ALEX.    POBTBE. 

THE   GAMEKEEPER'S  MANUAL 

being  an  epitome  of  the  game  laws  of  england  and  scotland,  and  of 
the  gun  licences  and  wild  birds  acts 

For  the  use  of  Gamekeepers  and  others  interested 
IN  THE  Preservation  of  Game 

By  ALEXANDER  PORTER,  Chief  Constable  of  Roxburghshire 

Second  Edition.     Crown  8ot,  Price  3s,,  Post  free. 

"A  concise  and  valuable  epitome  to  the  Game  Laws  specially  addressed  to  those  who  are  engaged 
in  protecting  game  " — Scotsman. 

"  Quite  a  store-house  of  useful  information.  .  .  .  Although  not  pretending  to  be  a  'law  book,' 
this  work  will  certainly  serve  the  purpose  of  one;  no  subject  being  omitted  that  comes  within  the 
province  of  the  game  \a.v/s."—Glasgoiv  Herald. 


ROBERT    MORETON. 

ON  HORSE-BREAKING 

By  ROBERT  MORETON 

Second  Edition.     One  Volume,  Crown  8vo.     Price  Is. 


EDINBURGH:    DAVID    DOUGLAS 


Ill  One  Volume,  Small  ito,  with  Maps,  and  Illustrated  by  Etchings,  Cuts, 
Lithographs  and  Photogravure  plates.     SOs. 


EDINBURGH:    DAVID   DOUGLAS,    CASTLE    STREET 


B.  L.  ANDERSON'S 

BOOKS    ON    HORSEMANSHIP. 


I. 
MODERN  HORSEMANSHIP 

a  new  method  of  teaching  riding  and  training  by  means  of 
instantaneous  photographs  from  the  life. 

Third  Edition,  with  Fresh  Illustrations  of   "The  Gallop  Change," 
of   unique  and  peculiar  interest. 

In  One  Volume,  Demy  Si'O.     Illustrated.     Price  2\s. 
II. 

VICE  IN  THE  HORSE 

AND  OTHER  PAPERS  ON  HORSES  AND  RIDING. 
New  Edition,  loith  Additions.     Demy  Si'o.     Illustrated.     Price  5s. 

III. 

THE  GALLOP 

ILLUSTRATED   BY   INSTANTANEOUS   PHOTOGRAPHY. 

Small  4<o.     2s.  6d. 

"It  is  impossible  to  read  a  page  in  any  of  liis  books  without  recognising  the  fact  that  this  is 
:i  practical  horseman  speaking  from  long  experience  of  an  art  which  he  has  devotedly  studied  and 
practised." — The  Saturday  Review. 

"The  best  new  English  work  on  riding  and  training  that  we  can  recommend  is  the  book 
'  Modern  Horsemanship.'" — The  Sport  Zeitung,  Vienna. 

"Every  page  shows  the  author  to  be  a  complete  master  of  his  subject." — The  Field. 


COLONEL    DODGE. 

A    CHAT    IN    THE    SADDLE 

OR,    PATROCLUS    AND    PENELOPE 

By  THEO.  a.  dodge,  Lieutenant-Colonel,  U.S.  Army. 
Illustrated  by  14  Instantaneous  Photographs.    Demy  ?>vo.     Price  21s. 

"A  very  learned  and  charming  book  about  horses." — Graphic. 

"  We  recommend  Col.  Dodge's  work  as  one  of  the  most  important  and  valuable  treatises  upon 
the  art  of  riding  that  we  liave  in  our  language." — Saturday  Review. 


COLONEL    CAMPBELL. 

MY  INDIAN   JOURNAL 

CONTAINING  DESCRIPTIONS  OF  THE  PRINCIPAL  FIELD  SPORTS  OF  INDIA,  WITH  NOTES 
ON  THE  NATURAL  HISTORY  AND  HABITS  OF  THE  WILD  ANIMALS  OF  THE  COUNTRY 

By  Colonel  WALTER  CAMPBELL,  Author  of  "The  Old  Forest  Ranger.' 
Small  Demy  Svo,  with  Drawings  on  Stone  by  Wolf.     Price  16s. 


GENERAL  GORDON. 

THE  ROOF   OF   THE   WORLD 

BEING  THE  NARRATIVE  OF  A  JOURNEY  OVER  THE  HIGH  PLATEAU  OF  TIBET 
TO  THE  RUSSIAN  FRONTIER,  AND  THE  OX  US  SOURCES  ON  PAMIR. 

By  Major-General  T.  E.  GORDON,  C.S.I. 
With  Numerotis  Illustrations.     Eoyal  Sco.     Price  31s.  6rf. 


EDINBURGH:    DAVID   DOUGLAS. 


Webster  F: 
Cumminc 


